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SAM  JONES’ 


SERMONS. 


CHICAGO: 

Rhodes  & McClure  Publishing  Co. 

1886. 


Copyright  1886 

BY 

Rhodes  & McClure  Publishing  Co. 


* * 


THE  following  pages  reveal  the  secret  of  Mr.  Jones* 
wonderful  success  as  a revivalist. 

These  sermons  have  been  carefully  culled  from  a large 
number  of  Mr.  Jones’  best  discourses. 

This  book  has  been  printed  from  special  reports  ot  Mr. 
Jones’  work. 

Mr.  Jones  has  been  indorsed  by  pulpit,  press,  and 
public.  His  career  is  eminently  successful.  His  efforts 
are  rewarded  by  the  conversion  of  thousands. 


Sam.  Jones, 

as  lie  is  commonly  called,  was  born  in  Chambers  county, 
Ala.,  Oct.  16,  1847.  He  was  brought  up,  where  he  resides, 
in  Cartel  svilie,  Bartow  county,  Georgia.  His  relatives  have 
been  church-members  for  many  years;  four  of  his  uncles 
were  ministers  of  the  gospel.  Sam’s  father  was  a lawyer, 
and  gave  him  the  best  possible  education.  His  mother 
was,  likewise,  very  religious. 

Samuel  began  legal  practice  with  brilliant  prospects. 
Pie  became  quite  dissipated.  His  father’s  death- bed  ex- 
hortation caused  him  to  reform. 

Soon  after,  he  married  Miss  Laura  McElwain,  of 
Eminence,  Ky.,  who  cheers  him  yet. 

He  became  a traveling  preacher  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  South,  in  October,  1872.  He  was  suc- 
cessful in  his  work.  Gradually,  he  became  a traveling 
evangelist.  He  met  with  extraordinary  encouragement, 
and  worked  in  several  Southern  states.  He  attracted  the 
attention  of  Rev.  T.  De  Witt  Talmage,  who  employed  him 
in  a grand  revival  at  the  Brooklyn  Tabernacle. 

Then,  after  holding  meetings,  which  attracted  wide- 
spread attention,  in  several  Southern  cities,  Mr.  Jones  at- 
tacked Satan  at  St.  Louis.  Thence  his  work  branched  out. 
He  has  engagements  for  many  months  ahead. 

Mr.  Jones  often  uses  slang  and  other  uncouth  lang- 
uage to  attract  attention.  He  is  one  of  the  most  sensational 
preachers  in  the  world,  yet  his  meetings  produce  intense 
interest  and  an  immense  harvest  of  converts,  most  of  whom 
“stick.”  Withal,  he  is  indorsed  by  leading  orthodox 
ministers  wherever  he  goes. 


Sam.  W Small. 


One  of  the  curiosities  of  humanity  is  the  history  of 
Sam.  Small,  the  converted  journalist.  “Moody  and  San- 
key’’  are  no  more  inseparable  than  the  “Two  Sams.” 

Mr.  Jones’  co-laborer  in  the  Lord’s  work  was  born  in 
Knoxville,  Tenn.,  about  1842.  He  lived  in  Georgia  and 
New  Orleans  in  youth.  He  graduated  at  a Virginia  col- 
lege, and  became  a lawyer.  Obeying  natural  impulse,  he 
changed  into  a journalist. 

After  working  on  several  papers,  and  marrying  a Con- 
gressman’s daughter,  Mr.  Small  accepted  a place  on  the 
staff  of  the  Atlanta  Constitution , and  became  official  sten- 
ographer of  the  Atlanta  Superior  Court.  His  writings,  as 
“Old  Si,”  in  the  Negro  dialect,  gave  him  a national  repu- 
tation as  a humorist. 

After  occupying  various  government  clerical  positions, 
and  working  at  the  journalistic  treadmill,  he  came  to  the 
pivotal  point  of  his  life. 

He  took  his  children,  a valise,  a clean  shirt,  and  a bot- 
tle of  whisky,  and  went  to  Cartersville,  to  see  and  hear 
Sam.  Jones.  He  became  converted,  and  abjured  whisky 
and  journalism  forever. 

Sam.  Small  is  a gilt-edged,  morocco-covered  edition  of 
Sam.  Jones.  They  promise  to  do  a grand  and  ever  in- 
creasing work.  Mr.  Small  has  more  polish  than  Mr.  Jones, 
and  is  a better  speaker.  Since  Dec.  13,  1884,  Mr.  Small 
has  done  what  he  could  for  the  advancement  of  the  Re- 
deemer’s kingdom,  and  has  a brilliant  future  before  him. 


SAM.  SMALL— “Old  Si.” 


The  Christian  Light 13 

The  Christian  Life 41 

The  Virtue  of  Honesty 48 

Fighting  the  Devil 68 

Be  Not  Weary  in  Well  Doing 86 

Everyday  Religion 108 

Walking  With  Christ 122 

H<  >w  to  Lead  a Christian  Life 148 

Exhorting 173 

We  Need  Consecration 183 

Conscience — Record — God 185 

Prepare  for  the  Life  to  Come 204 

Do  Not  Delay  Repentance 225 

Pursue  Not  Evil 248 

It  Pays  to  Be  Righteous *. 268 

Eternal  Damnation ....  290 


JONES’ 


$ 


n 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


We  invite  your  attention  — your  prayerful  attention — 
to  tlie  16th  verse  of  tlie  5th  chapter  of  the  gospel  by  St. 
Matthew : 

Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men  that  they  may  see  your  good  works? 
and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven. 

I will  read  the  two  preceding  verses: 

14.  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world.  A city  that  is  set  on  a hill  can 
not  be  hid. 

15.  Neither  do  men  light  a candle  and  put  it  under  a bushel,  but  on  a 
candlestick;  and  it  giveth  light  unto  all  that  are  in  the  house. 

This  is  the  15th  verse: 

Neither  do  men  light  a candle  and  put  it  under  a bushel,  but  on  a can- 
dlestick. 

I have  frequently  gone  into  a community,  and  while 
there,  I have  kicked  the  bushel  off  a great  many  men’s 
lights,  and  they  would  fall  out  with  me  and  say  I put  their 
light  out.  And  I didn’t.  Their  light  had  gone  out  over 
ten  years  before,  when  they  went  and  turned  that  bushel 
down  over  it.  It  went  out  the  minute  they  turned  that 
bushel  over  it.  Sometimes  it  is  the  bushel  of  neglect. 

(13) 


H 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Sometimes  it  is  the  bushel  of  willful  transgression.  Some- 
times it  is  the  bushel  of  avarice.  And  there  are  a thousand 
bushels  that  will  be  furnished  you  at  any  time  you  want 
one  to  turn  down  over  your  light.  And  at  any  moment, 
if  you  put  a bushel  over  your  light — if  your  light  was 
burning  and  you  have  taken  and  turned  a bushel  and  put 
over  it — you  will  find  your  light  is  out.  And  don’t  be  fool- 
ish enough  to  think  that  the  man  that  removed  the  bushel 
put  your  light  out.  It  was  the  bushel  turned  down  over  it 
that  put  the  light  out. 

Neither  do  men  light  a candle  and  put  it  under  a bushel,  but  on  a can- 
dlestick, that  it  may  give  light  unto  all  that  are  in  the  house. 

Now  the  text: 

Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men  that  they  may  see  your  good  works, 
and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven. 

THE  EARNESTNESS  OF  LIFE. 

Joseph  Cook,  the  Boston  Monday  lecturer,  said  on  one 
occasion,  “Gentlemen,  this  universe  up  to  the  edge  of  the 
tomb  is  no  joke.”  And  if  in  this  world  the  realities  of  the 
world,  the  pleasures  and  enjoyments  and  friendships  and 
associations  of  this  world  up  to  the  edge  of  the  tomb  are 
no  joke,  then  we  may  rest  assured  that  there  is  no  joke  in 
the  tomb  and  no  jokes  beyond  the  tomb.  And  it  is  well 
enough  for  us,  amid  the  rush  and  cracking  on  of  life, 
to  stop  now  and  then  and  listen.  There  are  some  voices 
that  may  be  heard  if  we  would  listen.  God  speaks  occa- 
sionally. I know  the  roar  of  commerce  and  the  rush  of 
trade  and  the  whistle  of  the  engine  arid  the  click  of  the  tel- 
egraph have  well  nigh  drowned  out  the  voice  of  God,  but 
amid  all  life’s  confusions,  on  our  pilgrimage  to  the  grave, 
we  ought  to  stop  now  and  then  and  bend  our  ears  and  listen 
to  that  voice  that  never  mis^d  a human  step,  nor  ever  mis- 
directed a human  heart  — that  ?till  small  voice  that  breaks 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


15 


the  silence  from  above  and  hushes  the  noises  of  earth,  and 
makes  me  see  who  I am  and  what  I am  and  whither  I am 
bending.  And  in  this  verse  this  morning  there  is  a mes 
sage  for  every  one  of  us. 

I got  this  verse  from  the  memorable  sermon  of  our  Sav- 
ior. This  was  a wonderful  sermon.  I have  often  thought 
if  I ever  get  to  Heaven  I would  hunt  up  some  intelligent 
man  who  heard  this  sermon.  I would  go  to  him  and  I 
would  ask  him  to  describe  the  manner  of  its  delivery,  its  ef- 
fect upon  the  audience,  and  I would  have  him  give  me  a 
description  of  the  face  of  the  Son  of  God  as  he  uttered  these 
words.  We  little  preachers  think  we  are  doing  well  if  we 
announce  a text  and  play  for  a few  minutes  each  on  our 
“ firstly  55  and  “ secondly  ” and  u thirdly,”  but  do  you  know 
that  in  this  one  sermon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  announces 
and  discusses  120  different  propositions.  Oh,  what  a preach- 
er he  was  ! I have  sometimes  thought  if  he  had  had  a dif- 
ferent audience  he  would  have  preached  quite  a different 
sermon;  a man  walking  among  men  and  preaching  among 
men  and  to  men.  I often  think  of  the  sermon  and  of  the 
discourse  on  homiletics  delivered  by  the  colored  sexton  of 
the  First  Methodist  Church  in  Memphis.  He  has  been 
sexton  of  that  church  for  thirty  years  and  more.  He  is  a 
pious,  consistent,  good  man.  The  preachers  on  one  occa- 
sion, during  a revival  meeting  there,  were  dk  cussing  the 
mode  of  preaching,  and  what  wras  the  most  efficient  means. 

THE  sexton’s  IDEA  OF  PREACHING. 

This  old  colored  man  jumped  up,  and,  said  he,  “ Brethren, 
I have  seen  for  years  that  mode  of  preaching.  Our  pastor 
don’t  put  the  fodder  down  low  enough.  I went  to  see  our 
preacher  in  his  study  a few  mornings  ago  and  he  had  six 
books  o]  en  before  him.  I said  to  him,  6 Brother,  if  yon 


i6 


SAM  JONES'  SERMONS. 


get  one  sermon  out  of  six  books,  you  are  going  to  put  that 
fodder  up  where  I can’t  reach,  and  where  a great  many 
others  can’t  reach,’  and,”  said  lie,  “ Before  God,  I have  gone 
into  church  hungry  many  a Sunday  morning,  and  left  hun- 
gry, and,”  said  he,  “ Thank  God,  we  have  got  a preacher 
now  that  just  puts  the  fodder  down  on  the  ground  and  every- 
thing can  reach  it.”  And  that’s  a fact.  Everything  can 
reach  a thing  when  it  is  on  the  ground,  and  as  far  as  I am 
concerned,  I believe  it  is  the  Christly  way  to  find  a common 
level  and  stand  on  that  level  to  preach  to  the  masses.  And 
if  you  see  me  drop  down  at  all  while  I am  here,  you  may 
know  that  I am  seeking  a level,  and  that’s  all  the  meaning 
there  is  in  it  at  all.  If  you  see  my  style  don’t  exactly  suit 
you,  and  the  grammar,  and  rhetoric  and  logic  is  a little 
butchered,  I am  just  endeavoring  to  adapt  my  style  to  my 
crowd;  don’t  forget  that,  and  I’ll  find  your  level  before  I 
leave  you.  (Laughter.) 

And  I want  to  say  before  I proceed  farther,  I will  relieve 
your  minds  this  far  : I shall  not  ask  the  Centenary  Church 
in  St.  Louis  for  a certificate  of  good  behavior  while  I am 
here.  I am  not  going  to  ask  you  for  a certificate  of  any 
sort,  or  a recommendation  to  Cincinnati,  the  place  to  which 
we  next  go.  In  the  first  place,  I don’t  think  I need  a cer- 
tificate from  you  all,  and  in  the  second  place,  I don’t  know 
whether  your  certificate  would  be  worth  anything,  anyhow. 
(Laughter.)  So  I will  relieve  your  minds  that  far.  And 
we  say  to  you  in  love  and  kindness,  we  don’t  want  anybody 
to  indorse  us,  but  want  every  Christian  in  St.  Louis  to  co- 
operate with  us.  You  all  do  the  co-operating  and  God  will 
do  the  indorsing,  and  then  we  will  be  elected  by  a large 
majority.  And  further,  we  say  : If  anything  suggests  t 
smile  or  laughter  you  can  laugh  or  smde.  If  anything  sug- 
gests a tear,  there  is  nothing  prettier  in  the  house  of  God 


THE  CHR1STAIN  LIGHT. 


1 7 


than  the  tear  that  wouldn’t  stain  an  angel’s  cheek  running 
down  your  face.  But  understand : There  is  just  as  much 
religion  in  laughing  as  in  crying.  Don’t  forget  that. 

AN  EXPLODED  NOTION. 

This  old  idea  that  when  God’s  children  come  together 
they  must  be  solemn  and  serious — that’s  something  that  is 
as  big  a mistake  as  the  preacher  made  when  he  told  those 
sinners  in  St.  Louis  that  God  was  mad  with  every  one  of 
them,  and  was  just  waiting  to  catch  them  in  a close  place, 
and  was  going  for  them  when  he  got  them  in  a tight  fix. 
Both  those  mistakes  are  as  big  lies  as  were  ever  perpetrated 
upon  the  face  of  this  earth.  Neither  one  is  true.  If  you 
feel  like  laughing,  you  laugh.  If  you  feel  like  crying,  you 
cry.  But  don’t  think  either  one  is  pious.  It  is  not.  One 
of  my  children  laughs  a good  deal — laughs  a great  deal; 
another  one  cries.  I don’t  think  either  is  pious — I don’t 
that.  And  if  you  feel  more  like  laughing  than  crying,  you 
laugh.  As  far  as  solemn  looks  are  concerned,  if  I had 
been  stealing  something,  or  robbed  a widow,  or  been  drunk 
during  the  past  week,  when  I came  into  church  on  Sunday 
morning,  I would  look  solemn,  because  I would  know  that 
was  the  time  to  look  solemn ; but  if  you  have  been  behav- 
ing yourself  and  acting  right,  you  just  wear  a smile  as 
broad  as  you  please  when  you  come  into  the  presence  of 
God.  That  is  the  kind  of  smile  for  God’s  children  to  wear 
when  they  have  done  right.  That  is  the  way  my  children, 
do.  When  they  have  been  doing  well  and  doing  right, 
they  are  full  of  smiles  and  pleasantry.  But  just  be  certain 
that  one  of  them  has  been  doing  wrong,  and  he  comes  up 
mighty  solemn,  and  it  is  a time  to  be  mighty  solemn,  too. 
Whenever  you  know  that  you  have  been  doing  right  you 
2 


i8 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


can  wear  a smile  in  church.  But  if  you  have  not,  you  want 
to  be  mighty  solemn,  and  I want  you  to  be. 

Our  Savior,  as  I said,  was  not  only  a wonderful  preacher, 
but  a pre-eminently  practical  one.  He  had  something  to 
say  to  every  one,  and  this  message  comes  to  us  this  morn- 
ing : 

Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men  that  they  may  see  your  good  works, 
and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven. 

Did  you  ever  see  such  a string  of  pearls  as  this  text — 
such  a monosyllabic  utterance  ? 

Let — your — light — so — shine  — before  — men — that — they — may — see — 
your — good— works — and — glorify — your — Father — which — is — in — Heav- 
en. 

How,  let  us  take,  perhaps,  the  most  important  word  in 
this  text,  and  let  us  analyze  it.  Let  us  take  the  word 
“ light.55 

THE  ANALYSIS  OE  LIGHT. 

Light.  We  know  very  little  what  it  is  as  a principle  un- 
less we  analyze  it.  What  is  light  in  the  sense  in  which  it 
is  used  here?  We  will  say,  in  order  that  we  may  be  prac- 
tical, that  light,  in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  used  in  this  text, 
is  a trinity  in  unity.  Its  principle  is  faith  in  God.  Its  es- 
sence is  love  to  God.  Its  development  is  obedience  to  God. 
How,  the  plain  English  of  the  text  is  to  tell  us:  “ Let  your 
faith  and  love  and  good  works  so  shine,  so  appear,  that 
others  may  see  them,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in 
Heaven.55  “ Let  your  faith,55  first.  And  now,  let  us  be 
consistent  with  ourselves  and  consistent  with  the  truth.  If 
“ light 55  is  this  trinity  in  unity — faith,  love  and  obedience 
— then  what  is  the  contrast?  Darkness.  What  is  that?  It 
is  unbelief,  enmity,  disobedience. 

How,  these  are  unmixable.  You  can’t  mix  either  of  the 
ingredients  of  the  one  with  those  of  the  other.  I must 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


19 


have  faitli  and  love  and  obedience  on  the  one  hand,  if  I 
have  light.  I shall  have  the  other  elements  if,  instead  of 
light,  I have  darkness. 

Now,  faith!  Faith!  Oh,  how  omnipotent  faith  is! 
Faith  brings  God  to  me  and  brings  God  to  my  help,  and  if 
God  be  with  me  and  all  the  world  against  me,  I am  in  the 
infinite  majority.  God  is  on  my  side.  I believe.  I be- 
lieve. 

Now,  there  are  people  in  this  country  that  we  call  fa- 
natics— enthusiasts.  Now,  I say,  if  this  book  is  true,  and  I 
believe  this  book,  am  I a fanatic  ? If  this  book  is  true  and 
I believe  this  book,  am  I an  enthusiast  ? If  this  book  is 
true,  and  I believe  it,  am  I mad?  Now,  you  have  read  a 
great  many  strange  things  that  I have  done  and  said,  and  a 
great  many  things  that  I never  did  and  never  said  (smiling 
at  the  reporters),  and  if  you  had  to  be  hanged  to-morrow 
you  couldn’t  pick  out  the  things  I had  said  or  had  not.  I 
am  not  sorry  that  anything  has  been  said  about  me  at  all. 
The  devil  does  a great  deal  of  advertising  for  me  and  does 
it  free.  If  I had  to  pay  for  all  the  advertising  I have  got 
it  would  break  me  in  three  minutes,  and  he  does  it  gratis. 
(Laughter.) 

who  is  crazy  ? 

But  take  it  for  granted  that  all  that  has  been  said,  and  all 
that  has  been  reported  as  having  been  done  and  said,  is  true 
— am  I crazy  ? Am  I crazy  ? If  this  book  is  true,  and  I 
believe  it,  I want  to  be  so  crazy  that  I can  not  keep  my 
mouth  shut  a single  moment.  If  this  book  is  true,  and  I 
believe  it,  I want  to  be  so  crazy  that  I will  work  for  God 
and  souls  just  like  I was  hired  by  the  day  to  work  my  way 
to  Heaven.  If  this  book  is  true,  I am  not  crazy,  but  Broth- 
er Tudor  has  about  300  or  400  members  of  this  church  that 


20 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


are  so  crazy  that  they  won’t  pray  and  won’t  open  their  mouths 
for  God;  that  are  so  crazy  that  they  won’t  do  anything. 
Ah  me  ! the  most  deadly  fanaticism  that  ever  overshadowed 
the  souhis  that  which  makes  a man  lock  his  arms,  fold  his 
arms  and  walk  right  along  down  into  the  fire  without  quiv- 
ering a nerve  or  jerking  a muscle.  That  is  the  sort  of  fa- 
naticism that  says:  “ Keep  cool.  Don’t  get  excited.”  That 
is  the  sort  of  fanaticism  that  breeds  stagnation,  and  Stagna- 
tion is  the  last  station  this  side  of  Damnation.  You  can’t  2*0 
beyond  Stagnation  without  going  on  to  Damnation.  And 
I read  a few  days  ago  where  an  eminent  preacher  stood  up 
in  his  pulpit  on  Sunday  morning  before  a vast  congrega- 
tion, one  that  packed  every  pew,  and  preached  against  re- 
ligious sensationalism,  and  there  hadn’t  been  a drunk  or  any- 
thing which  made  a stir  in  his  church  for  twenty  years.  He 
preached  right  square  against  religious  sensations  and  relig- 
ious fanaticism  and  there  hadn’t  been  a drunk  in  his  church 
for  twenty  years.  That  is  like  a poor  old  fellow  pushing 
up  his  tombstone  lid  and  sticking  his  head  out  and  telling  all 
the  balance  of  the  tombstones : uBe  quiet ! Don’t  kick  up 
any  row!  Keep  perfectly  still.”  (Laughter.)  And  then, 
he  drops  his  top  slab  back  and  lies  down  in  his  grave  all 
right  and  says : “ I’ll  never  die  until  I’m  dead.”  (Laughter.) 

THE  COMPULSION  TO  SPEAK. 

I never  will  be  quiet  as  long  as  I have  a tongue  to  talk 
and  lungs  to  breathe.  God  help  me  to  believe  this  book 
and  know  this  book  is  true,  and  then  I will  let  the  world 
judge  whether  I am  crazy  or  not.  I believe,  and  I tell  you 
when  a man  believes  that  book,  tie  is  going  to  do  some 
mighty  strange  things  in  this  world.  I tell  yon  when  St. 
Paul  believed,  and  when  Luther  believed,  and  when  John 
Wesley  believed,  and  when  Melancthon  believed,  and  when 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


21 


George  Whitfield  believed,  and  when  Spurgeon  believed, 
and  when  Talmage  believed,  and  when  Moody  believed,  you 
don’t  know  how  things  moved  round  and  stirred  up,  as  they 
said  of  Paul,  “ no  small  stir.”  Do  you  recollect  how,  over 
at  Ephesus,  he  had  them  stirred  up,  burning  their  books  on 
a great  bonfire,  and  causing  the  mayor  and  police  to  send 
and  stop  the  crowd  right  there  ? And  if  St.  Paul  was  to 
preach  in  St.  Louis  to-day,  he  would  be  telegraphed  all  over 
America  as  the  greatest  religious  fanatic  that  ever  made  a 
crack  in  this  country.  I rather  like  that  title,  religious  fa- 
natic. It  is  no  reflection  on  me,  but  is  death  to  the  balance 
of  you;  do  you  see?  (Applause.)  It  is  a contrast  that' 
brings  the  thing  out,  you  see.  ^ 

FAITH  ! I BELIEVE  ! I BELIEVE  ! 

The  man  that  says  “ I believe,”  and  feels  it  in  his  blood 
and  bones,  that  man  is  omnipotent. 

“ I believe.”  The  apostles  talk  about  the  “ certainty  of 
these  things,”  the  66  infallible  signs,”  the  “ one  word  of 
prophesy.”  It  was  “ I believe”  that  made  St.  Paul  cry  out, . 
“ this  one  thing  I do.”  It  was  u I believe,”  that  made 
St.  Paul  say,  “ neither  count  I my  life  dear  unto  me.  I 
count  all  things  but  loss.”  It  was  “ I believe  ” that  made 
St.  Paul  say,  “ I lay  aside  every  weight  and  the  sin  that 
doth  so  easily  beset  me.”  I throw  them  aside.  If  my  coat 
is  in  the  way,  off  with  it.  If  my  hat,  off  with  it.  If  my 
shoes,  off  with  them.  I will  run  my  way  to  God,  bare- 
headed, coatless,  and  shoeless,  so  I will  make  my  race  in 
safety  to  my  God  and  peace.  And,  brother,  when  a man 
gets  in  earnest  he  believes,  and  when  a man  believes,  he  gets 
in  earnest,  some  how  or  other. 

CHURCH  INFIDELITY. 

When  Mr.  Moody  came  back  from  across  the  water  after 


22 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


the  greatest  revival  in  Europe,  he  was  met  in  New  York  by 
an  American  delegation.  They  said : “ Mr.  Moody,  we 
greet  you.  We  glorify  God  in  behalf  of  these  things  over 
in  Europe,  but,  Mr.  Moody,  you  can’t  do  that  over  here.” 
Mr.  Moody  looked  at  these  Christian  men  and  said : “ If 
God  Almighty  will  take  the  infidelity  out  of  the  heart  of 
the  church  in  America,  we  will  bring  all  America  to 
Christ.”  And  he  announced  a truth  as  broad  as  the  depravity 
of  America.  “ If  God  Almighty  will  take  the  infidelity 
outf  of  the  heart  of  the  Church  in  America,  we  can  bring  all 
America  to  Christ.”  Who  cares  about  Bob  Ingersoll’s  in- 
fidelity, or  who  cares  about  anybody  else’s  infidelity  ? The 
difference  between  the  men  is  that  that  man  in  church  be_ 
lieves  everything,  and  won’t  do  anything,  while  Bob  Inger_ 
soli  is  a sort  of  theoretical  infidel,  that  gets  $1,500  a night 
for  being  one,  and  you  back  here,  like  a fool,  are  one  for 
nothing  and  board  yourself.  That’s  all  there  is  about  it, 
( Laughter.) 

Let  your  light  so  shine. 

That  is,  let  your  faith  so  appear.  “I  believe.”  Well,  I 
might  stop  here  and  say  something  on  faith,  and  we  will, 
perhaps,  on  another’  occasion.  Faith  is  the  principle  on 
which  omnipotence  slumbers.  By  faith  the  world  was 
created.  By  faith  all  things  are.  By  faith  we  are  saved. 
By  faith  we  are  efficient. 

Faith.  “ I believe.”  “ I believe.”  While  I have  faith 
there  is  also  this  other  element  and  principle  of  love.  Love 
to  God  and  love  to  man.  If  a man  believes  in  his  cause  and 
believes  he  is  right,  the  next  thing  is  universal  love  ; love 
for  God  and  love  for  man. 

THE  QUESTION"  OF  CHARACTER. 

And  we  will  say  another  thing.  There  are  two  kinds  of 
love.  There  is  love  of  that  which  is  groveling  and  low  and 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


23 


sensual,  and  there  is  love  of  that  which  is  ennobling,  inspir- 
ing, true  and  beautiful.  "Now,  what  a man  loves  and  what 
he  hates  determines  his  character ^If  you  will  tell  me  what 
you  love  and  what  you  hate,  I will  tell  you  what  you  are 
and  who  you  are.  The  difference  between  the  devil,  the 
enemy  of  all  men,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  friend  of 
all  men,  the  great  difference  that  is  manifested  to  us  as  liv- 
ing souls,  is  in  what  each  loves  and  what  each  hates.  God 
4 loves  righteousness  and  hates  sin.  The  devil  hates  right- 
eousness and  loves  sin.  What  I love  and  what  I hate  will 
determine  what  I am  now  and  what  I will  be  forever. 

Now,  if  I love  God  there  is  but  one  test.  Our  Savior 
don’t  say,  “ Ye  shall  talk  faith  and  live  in  sin.”  He  said, 
as  you  and  I know,  “ If  you  love  me,  keep  my  command- 
ments.” There  is  nothing  in  the  book  about  feeling.  We 
are  not  running  on  feeling.  The  book  don’t  say  “ whoso- 
ever feels,”  but  66  whosoever  will ;”  not  “ whosoever  feel- 
eth,”  but  “ whosoever  believeth.”  Recollect  that.  It 
doesn’t  say  “ whosoever  feeleth,”  but  “ whosoever  doeth.” 
There  is  a great  deal  of  nonsense  in  this  nineteenth  century 
right  along  on  that  point.  The  religion  that  is  here  referred 
to  is  “ principle,”  don’t  you  see  ?.  and  I never  stop  to  ask 
whether  I have  got  any  feeling  or  not.  If  I have  got  any 
feeling  at  all  this  morning  I don’t  know  where  it  is.  I 
couldn’t  locate  it  to  save  my  life,  but  I have  before  me  the 
undying  eternal  uncompromising  reality  of  God  and  the 
right.  And  the  man  that  does  right  when  he  doesn’t  feel 
like  it  deserves  credit  more  than  the  fellow  that  feels  like 
it.  Don’t  you  see  ? 

THE  GREATEST  CONQUEROR. 

Right ! Love ! Oh,  Love  divine,  diffuse  thy  power  and 
presence  with  us.  The  omnipotent  principle  of  the  world 


24 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


is  love.  When  Alexander  the  Great  wanted  to  conquer 
this  world  he  mustered  his  forces  and  blood  flowed  like  a 
river,  and  poor  Alexander  when  he  died  was  a conquered 
wretch.  When  Napoleon  Bonaparte  wanted  to  conquer 
this  world  he  mustered  his  forces  and  all  Europe  was 
drenched  in  blood,  and  Napoleon  died  a defeated  wretch  on 
the  island  of  St.  Helena.  But  when  Jesus  Christ  wanted 
to  conquer  the  earth  he  looked  at  it  and  loved  it  and  walked 
upon  Calvary  and  laid  down  and  died  for  it,  and  Christ  has 
well  nigh  conquered  this  world.  Napoleon  said : “ Alex- 
ander, Charlemagne  and  myself  founded  our  kingdoms  on 
force,  and  they  have  crumbled  under  our  feet;  ” but  Jesus 
Christ  founded  his  kingdom  on  love,  and  to-day  millions  of 
men  would  die  for  him. 

Love  ! One  fellow  said  to  me  once,  “ Brother  Jones,  my 
great  trouble  is  I can’t  love  my  neighbor  as  myself.  I have 
tried  my  best  and  I can’t  do  it.”  I told  him,  “ Well,  I don’t 
have  any  trouble  with  that.”  He  says,  “ How  did  you 
manage  to  do  it  ? ” I said,  u I got  a good  square  look  at 
myself  sixteen  years  ago,  and  I have  thought  more  of  every 
nigger  I met  since  than  I do  of  myself.  I am  getting  along 
first  rate,  and  if  you  get  an  honest,  square  and  sincere  look 
at  yourself  in  the  mirror  of  love,  you  won’t  be  at  all  mashed 
on  yourself  after  that.  That’s  the  truth  about  it.  (Laugh- 
ter.) That  cured  me.” 

LOVE  VS.  CONSCIENCE. 

Love!  If  we  love  ourselves  and  love  humanity,  we’ll  do 
something  for  humanity.  Love.  Why  conscience  will 
make  a man  come  along  by  that  poor  wounded  creature  and 
make  us  pick  him  up  and  put  him  on  our  beast  and  take 
him  to  the  inn  and  pay  a night’s  lodging  for  the  poor 
wounded  fellow.  Conscience  will  make  us  do  that,  but  love 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


25 


will  make  11s  pick  him  up  and  carry  him  to  the  inn  and  pay 
his  night’s  lodging,  and  leave  enough  of  money  to  pay  his 
bill  until  he  is  well,  and  tell  the  innkeeper  to  write  us  a 
note,  and  if  there  is  anything  Jacking  we’ll  give  it  all. 
Conscience  whips  a fellow  up  a great  deal  in  this  life,  but 
love  beats  him,  and  love  is  an  inspiration  to  him^and  love 
don’t  say,  “ How  little  can  I get  off  with  ? ” but,  “ How 
much  can  I do  ? ” Love  ! Love  ! Love ! Love  is  the  wheels 
under  a fellow  on  which  he  rolls.  The  difference  between 
a locomotive  and  a stationary  engine  is,  one  has  got  wheels 
under  it  and  the  other  has  not.  The  difference  between 
that  engine  out  here  in  the  piney  woods  of  Georgia  sawing 
lumber  and  that  mighty  engine  that  drove  us  here  yester- 
day, sometimes  at  the  rate  of  fifty  miles  an  hour,  is,  one  has 
wheels  under  it  and  the  other  has  not.  The  man  who  has 
love,  who  is  prompted  by  the  love  which  is  omnipotent,  has 
wheels  under  him  and  he  rolls  grandly  along.  Love  ! Love  ! 
Most  of  us,  though,  are  dropping  back  hurriedly  on  the  old 
song : 

Of  all  the  folks  I e\  hr  saw, 

I love  myself  the  best. 

There’s  a good  deal  in  that — practically,  I mean. 

THE  VICE  OF  SELFISHNESS. 

I am  sorry  for  any  man  in  this  world  that  has  a great  big 
two  hundred  pounds  avoirdupois  case  of  selfishness  to  take 
care  of.  I’d  rather  try  to  run  a miracle  than  try  to  run  a 
great,  big,  concentrated  lump  of  selfishness.  “ I want  the 
best  house  in  town;  I want  the  best  seat  in  church,  and  I 
want  the  best  of  everything;  it  is  myself  and  my  wife  and 
my  son  John,  and  us  four  and  no  more.”  (Laughter.)  It 
is,  “God  has  just  put  us  in  the  world,  and  we  want  every- 
thing in  it.  It  is  nominative  I,  possessive  mine  and  objective 


26  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

me.  I don’t  know  that  I ever  had  any  grammar  beyond 
that.” 

I have  heard  many  an  old  fellow  get  np  in  a class-meet- 
ing and  talk,  and  he  would  confess  a thousand  things,  but 
I have  never  heard  of  a man  getting  up  in  meeting  any- 
where and  confessing  that  he  was  selfish  or  avaricious.*  Did 
you  ? (Laughter.)  I never  have  yet.  That  is  a sort  of  a 
disease  a fellow  does  not  know  he’s  got  until  it  kills  him. 
(Laughter.)  That’s  the  truth  of  it.  Selfish!  Love  is  per- 
fectly unselfish.  Faith  in  God  and  in  the  right,  and  a love 
for  humanity,  and  then  it  has  developed  his  obedience  to 
God. 

Obedience!  I speak  of  faith.  Just  now  there  is  a great 
deal  of  this  sort  of  faith  around  in  the  world — going  around 
with  the  mouth  open  and  both  hands  up  this  way.  “ O, 
Lord,  give  me  something!  give  me  something!  give  me 
something.”  (Laughter.)  “ Well,whatdoyou want?”  “Don’t 
know;  just  want  something!”  (Laughter.)  And  just  about 
sense — religious  sense — enough  to  keep  out  of  the  asylum. 
“ Just  want  something ! ” Look  a here!  The  Bible  repre- 
sents God  as  my  father  and  me  as  his  child.  I am  a father. 
I have  my  loved  ones  at  my  home  that  look  up  to  me  and 
lean  upon  me,  but,  as  God  is  my  judge,  if  every  time  my 
children  came  around  me  they  were  everlastingly  begging 
and  whining  for  something,  I’d  never  w^ant  to  see  them 
again  as  long  as  I lived  (laughter),  and  none  of  you  ever 
went  within  a mile  of  the  Almighty  in  your  life  without: 
“ Give  me  something ! ” (Renewed  laughter.) 

A BEGGING  SORT  OF  RELIGION. 

That’s  mighty  straight  doctrine.  That — and  some  of  you 
know  it — just  knocks  your  cake  to  dough,  don’t  it?  (Re- 
newed laughter.)  Why,  sir,  if  you  break  up  that  idea  (turn- 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


2 7 


ing  to  Dr.  Tudor),  you’ll  ruin  half  of  your  number,  brother, 
out  there,  for  that’s  all  there  is  among  them,  the  “ give-me- 
something”  sort.  “ Give  me  something.”  “ What  do  you 
want ? ” “I  don’t  know — something.”  More  grace, I reckon. 
How  a fellow  feels  when  he  wants  for  more  grace.  You 
are  in  grace  up  to  your  chin  every  day,  and  what  you  want 
is  to  use  the  grace  you  have  already  got. 

Well,  I want  to  pray  this  prayer  once : “ Lord  God ! give 
me  a clean  heart  and  a right  spirit  and  an'upright  life. 
God,  give  me  the  things  I need.”  And  when  I pray  that 
prayer  once,  then  that  is  enough.  And  then  I will  tell  you 
what  sort  of  faith  I want  after  that.  It  is  the  faith  of  the 
missioner ; it  is  the  faith  of  consecration ; it  is  the  faith  of 
meditation;  that  is  the  sort.  In  Lexington,  Ky.,  in  the 
High-bridge  camp  meeting  in  'Kentucky,  after  preaching 
three  or  four  days,  we  had  a talking  meeting. 

THE  KENTUCKY  PASTOR’S  REGRET. 

One  morning  the  pastor  of  the  Lexington  church  stood 
up  in  the  talking  meeting,  and  said : “ Brethren,  I feel  like 

I ought  to  be  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  I am  ashamed  of 
myself” — a grand  man  he  was,  too;  a true  man.  Said  he, 
“I  will  tell  you,  when  I look  hack  twenty  years  ago  or 
more,  I see  how  my  love  for  the  Southern  Confederacy  and 
for  the  Southern  cause  marched  me  out  in  the  ranks  of  Gen. 
Lee  in  Virginia,  and  my  love  for  the  Southern  Confederacy, 
and  my  consecration  and  my  loyalty  to  the  Southern  Confed- 
eracy, marched  me  many  a day  barefooted ; I slept  out  many  a 
night  in  the  snow  and  mud,  and  I had  many  a day  without 
anything  to  eat ; I bared  this  breast  to  ten  thousand  bullets, 
and  all  for  the  Confederacy ; and  I have  been  a minister  for 
twenty  years  and  I have  never  marched  barefooted  for  God. 
I have  never  slept  out  a night  for  God.  I have  never  gone 


28 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


hungry  a single  meal ; and  to-day  I renew  my  allegiance  to 
God,  and  I mean  to  march  for  him  or  to  die  for  him,  or  to 
bear  the  load  for  him!”  Oh,  Lord  Jesus  Christ!  give  us 
that  sort  of  religion ! 

Dr.  Tudor. — Amen. 

Brother  Jones. — This  nasty  sort  of  “ Give  me  some- 
thing ! ” I despise  it.  I have  got  a contempt  for  you,  and 
God  Almighty  has,  too,  in  my  candid  judgment. 

PRAYING  FOR  DAILY  BREAD. 

I tell  you  the  sort  of  faith  I like.  Here  is  a fellow  pray- 
ing for  bread;  got  a hoe  in  his  hand  hoeing  around  that 
stalk  of  corn.  Has  that  fellow  got  any  faith?  Yes,  sir. 
By  faith  he  sees  an  ear  of  corn  that  long  (indicating)  on  that 
stalk.  (Laughter.)  Pray  “give  me  this  day  my  daily 
bread  ” at  the  end  of  a lioe-handle  with  a good  sized  hoe  on 
it.  (Laughter.)  That  is  a good  prayer.  This  way  we’ve 
got  of  doing  all  our  praying  with  our  tongues — that  is  the 
biggest  mistake  you  ever  did  make.  Every  Wednesday 
night  for  sixteen  years  there  have  been  meetings  here  pray- 
ing, “ Lord,  give  me  something.”  How,  what  have  you 
got?  You’ve  got  a city — you  have  got  a city  that  is  abso- 
lutely steeped  in  guilt  and  iniquity,  and  they’ve  got  the 
churches  in  this  city  backed  up  in  a corner  like  a lot  of  lit- 
tle children  with  a snake  out  on  the  floor,  afraid  to  move. 
That  is  the  way  you  are  with  your  churches  here  in  this 
town.  You  are  afraid  the  devil  will  jump  on  you  and  clean 
you  out.  (Laughter.)  While  I am  here  in  St.  Louis,  God 
Almighty  helping  me,  I’ll  give  this  old  town  an  airing  be- 
fore I leave  her.  (Loud  laughter.)  You  need  not  doubt 
that.  St.  Louis  as  a city  don’t  care  what  Methodists,  Baptists, 
Presbyterians,  Episcopalians  or  anybody  else  think.  Now, 
ain’t  that  so  ? “ We’ll  drink  our  beer  on  Sunday  and  dese- 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


29 


crate  the  Sabbath,  and  run  our  lewd  houses  and  stick  them 
right  up  by  the  side  of  your  church,  and  we’ll  debauch  and 
damn  this  town,  and  we  dare  you  Christian  churches  or  church 
members  to  open  your  mouth!”  Ain’t  that  so?  Well, 
they  have  got  one  little  man  here  now  they  can’t  fight. 
(Laughter.)  You  can  put  that  down.  Now,  all  the  decent 
people  ought  to  be  out  of  town  during  the  airing,  but  its 
going  to  be  odoriferous.  You  can  put  that  down.  (Re- 
newed laughter.) 

RELIGION  WITH  A BACKBONE. 

Obedience  ! A faith  that  works  by  love  and  that  obeys 
the  law  of  God  Almighty.  Obey  God ! That  is  what  we 
want.  I’d  rather  be  right  and  I’d  rather  do  right  than  to 
be  king.  That  is  the  way  to  talk  it!  If  the  Lord  God 
frowns  upon  me,  what  are  the  smiles  of  this  world,  and  the 
fawnings  of  this  world,  and  the  wealth  of  this  world  if  God’s 
frown  blights  the  whole  and  lights  upon  all  earthly  things  ? 
Yanity  of  vanity  ! and  all  is  vexation  of  spirit ! But  let  the 
cannon  boom  and  the  musket  rattle,  and  let  the  earth  frown 
and  the  earth  fight,  good  Lord,  let  thy  smile  rest  upon  me 
and  show  thy  face  and  all  is  bright.  Good  Lord,  give  us  a 
strong,  sinewy > muscular  religion  ! This  little,  effeminate, 
weak,  sentimental,  sickly,  singing  and  begging  sort ! My 
Lord  God,  give  us  a religion  with  vim  and  muscle  and  back- 
bone and  power  and  bravery  ! A great  many  people  think 
that  Christianity  is  just  a little  liot-bed  of  effeminity — fel- 
lows crying  “ Peace  ! peace  ! peace  ! ” God  says  first  pure 
and  then  peaceable ; and  if  you  can  not  have  peace  only  at* 
the  expense  of  purity,  you  better  be  in  a war.  Going  about 
crying  “Peace ! peace  ! ” when  there  is  no  peace,  and  hell 
with  all  its  guns  turned  loose  upon  us,  and  our  children  fall, 
ing  by  the  thousands  and  going  to  destruction,  and  we  wring- 


30 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


ing  our  hands  and  saying,  “ Lord,  send  ns  peace ! ” And 
they  don’t  believe  in  anything  but  u peace.”  You  pusil- 
lanimous wretch,  you,  you  ain’t  fit  to  live.  (Laughter.) 

LANGUAGE  FOR  THE  OCCASION. 

I use  sometimes  strong  words,  but  I will  tell  you,  you 
may  know  I am  trying  to  reach  the  case.  Don’t  you  get 
excited  now,  and  think  things  are  going  to  pieces.  I tell 
you  that  you  may  save  your  feelings  and  your  condignity 
for  other  occasions.  I am  just  touching  along  in  high  places 
this  morning.  I haven’t  got  anywhere  yet.  (Laughter.) 
Obedience ! Obedience ! Obedience  is  better  than  sacrifice. 

I will  tell  you  another  thing:  more  and  more  this  world  is 
reaching  to  attain  every  day.  It  does  not  ask  what  church  a 
man  belongs  to.  It  asks,  “Are  you  honest?  do  you  tell  the 
truth?  do  you  love  your  religion?”  They  don’t  ask  what 
sort  of  a profession  he  has  made,  but  they  ask  now,  “ Has 
he  a good  character?”  I like  that.  That  is  coming  down 
to  facts.  Obedience!  An  obedience  that  marches  out  to 
the  front,  and  marches  with  the  battle  cry  of  “ Victory  or 
death  ! ” An  obedience  that  dares  to  go,  and  dares  to  suffer, 
and  dares  to  do.  That  is  what  we  want.  Now,  let  your 
faith  and  love  and  obedience  so  shine  among  men — so  shine. 

Ah,  me!  how  this  world  gropes  in  darkness  to-day ! And 
I will  tell  you  how  the  Church  reminds  me  in  its  movement 
through  the  world  to-day  of  one  of  these  night  freight 
trains — did  you  ever  see  one? — out  on  the  road,  the  head- 
light gathering  the  rays  of  the  lamp  and  pitching  them  all 
in  front  of  the  train,  and  they  get  a little  light  blue  or  red 
lamp  on  the  rear  car,  and  leave  all  in  the  rear  in  darkness. 
The  Church  does  just  about  the  same  thing.  They  put  a 
headlight  to  throw  light  ahead  and  leave  a little  colored 
light  for  sinners  to  travel  by.  Every  Church  is  looking  out 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


31 


for  themselves,  and  every  light  they  get  they  throw  it  on 
their  own  pathway,  and  away  back  in  the  rear  of  the  Chnrcli 
they  get  a little  lantern,  and  leave  the  world  groping  in 
darkness.  Oh,  God,  help  ns  to  undo  those  things;  and,  if 
we  have  to  grope  in  darkness,  God  help  ns  to  throw  what 
light  we  have  back  on  this  benighted  world.  Light! 
Light ! 

AN  EXPRESSIVE  “ SO.’5 

Let  your  light  so  shine. 

Frequently,  when  our  Savior  was  talking,  when  he  was 
speaking,  did  he  seem  to  ransack  our  language  for  an  adjec- 
tive or  a descriptive  for  what  he  wanted  to  say  ? He  found 
nothing  of  the  kind  to  suit,  and  he  would  throw  off  an  ad- 
verb like  this  “so.55  When  he  wanted  to  tell  us  how  God 
loved  the  world,  he  threw  all  this  descriptive  aside,  and 
said  “ God  so  loved  the  world,55  and  when  he  wanted  to  tell 
us  to  let  our  light  shine  he  said  “Let  your  light  ^<9  shine55 
that  those  behind  you  may  see  their  way  to  God. 

I saw  this  illustrated  one  dark  night  at  a church  in  Geor- 
gia. After  service  we  walked  out  and  the  darkness  could 
almost  be  felt,  so  dense  it  was,  and  a gentleman  directly 
came  out  of  the  church  with  one  of  those  large  reflecting 
lanterns,  and  when  he  turned  the  lantern  in  front  of  him 
everybody  in  front  could  see,  just  like  it  was  daylight,  and 
everybody  in  the  rear  was  in  darkness,  and  when  he  turned 
his  lantern  around  everybody  in  the  rear  could  see  perfect- 
ly, and  every  one  in  front  was  groping  in  darkness.  When 
he  turned  his  lantern  that  way  he  let  his  light  so  shine  that 
those  in  front  could  see  their  way,  and  when  he  turned  his 
lantern  this  way  he  let  his  light  so  shine  that  those  in  the 
rear  could  see  their  way.  And  God  says  to  the  Church, 
“ Gather  all  the  rays  of  the  world  and  reflect  it  back  on  this 


32  SAM  JONES*  SERMONS. 

benighted  world  and  show  them  the  way  to  God.55  That  is 
what  we  want. 

PLACES  WHERE  LIGHTS  WILL  NOT  BURN 

Let  your  light  so  shine  * * *.  No  man  lighteth  a candle  and  put- 
teth  it  under  a bushel,  but  on  a candlestick. 

There  are  some  places  where  physical  light  won’t  reflect 
at  all.  I recollect  once  my  father  had  two  Irishmen  to 
dig  a well,  and  they  got  it  about  fifty  or  sixty  feet  deep, 
and  he  paid  them  upon  a Saturday,  and,  like  most  of  the  Pad- 
dies then — the  well-digging  Paddies — they  went  on  a spree, 
and  they  were  on  a spree  away  into  the  week,  and  when 
they  came  back  they  asked  my  mother  for  a candle,  and  I 
said,  “’Well,  Paddy  is  not  sober  enough  yet,  he  wants  a 
candle  to  dig  the  well  with.55  He* went  up  to  the  well  and 
he  got  a rope  and  tied  the  candle  to  the  end  of  the  rope, 
and  he  let  it  down  into  the  well,  and  it  got  down  deeper 
and  deeper,  and  the  light  flickered  and  it  went  out,  and 
Paddy  said,  “ Mike,  it  is  dangerous  to  go  down  there,  there 
is  gas  in  the  well,55  and  they  got  some  pine  tops  and  tied 
them  together  and  let  them  up  and  down,  and  the  light 
burned  freely  to  the  bottom,  and  he  said,  “ It’s  all  right, 
now.55 

I tell  you  to  keep  your  lamps  trimmed.  There  are  some 
places  in  this  world  where  your  light  won’t  burn,  and  I’ll 
tell  you  the  best  thing  in  the  world  is  to  get  your  preacher 
and  your  Bible,  and  put  them  down  ahead  of  you,  and  see 
how  they  will  look  down  there.  You  try  your  light  in  a 
ball-room,  for  instance.  Go  into  a ball-room  with  your 
Christian  light.  It  will  go  out.  It  won’t  burn  there.  See 
that  Methodist  dodging  into  a bar-room  with  his  light.  I 
don’t  care  how  bright  it  was  burning  when  you  went  in ; 
it  is  out  when  you  come  out.  Red  liquor  and  Christianity 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


33 


won’t  stay  in  the  same  hide  at  the  same  time.  (Laughter.) 
Go  into  a theater,  and  come  back,  and  look  at  your  light. 
That  is  it. 

A QUESTION  OF  SENSE  AND  RESPONSIBILITY. 

Oh,  my!  When  I was  pastor,  whenever  I saw  anything 
that  was  putting  the  light  out  in  my  church,  or  damaging 
the  spirituality  of  my  church,  I turned  all  the  guns  of 
heaven  loose,  and  if  Dr.  Tudor  has  dancing,  theater-going, 
godless  members,  it  is  his  own  fault,  and  God  will  hold  him 
responsible  for  it.  I would  not  have  that  sort  of  cattle  in 
my  church  forty-eight  hours.  (Laughter.)  That  is  a Scrip- 
tural term,  cattle  is  ; don’t  forget  that.  God  says  some  of 
you  ain’t  as  good  as  cattle.  God  says : “ The  ox  knoweth 
his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master’s  crib.”  But  you  won’t 
consider.  You  ain’t  got  sense  enough  to  keep  away  from 
a bar-room  or  a theater.  God  tells  you  you  ought  to  swap 
places  with  the  ox  (laughter)  and  eat  a little  hay. 

Let  your  light  so  shine. 

I tell  you,  brother,  sister,  the  next  time  you  start  to  the 
ball-room,  you  put  your  preacher  in  there,  and  get  him  a 
partner,  and  see  how  he  will  look  in  there  dancing.  Put 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  by  you  in  a theater,  and  see  how  he 
looks  at  certain  things  said  in  that  theater ; and  there  are 
Methodists  in  this  house,  and  members  in  all  the  churches, 
that  patronize  those  places,  and  if  they  were  to  go  into  your 
parlor  the  next  day,  and  say  the  things  they  heard  there 
the  night  before,  you  would  kick  them  over  your  front 
gate — wouldn’t  you?  (Laughter.)  Somehow  or  another 
the  fool  Methodist  thinks  he  ain’t  doing  any  harm  if  he  is 
paying  for  it.  If  he  pays  seventy-five  cents  to  go  in,  there 
is  no  harm,  but  if  a fellow  was  to  come  to  his  house  and 
say  that  for  nothing,  he  would  kickhim  out.  (Laughter.) 

3 


34 


SAM  JONES*  SERMONS. 


A MORTGAGED  NOSE. 

Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men. 

And  there  are  women  in  St.  Louis  that  will  go  and  hear 
things  in  the  theater  whose  tendencies  are  the  most  vulgar 
of  the  vulgar,  and  she  will  be  tickled  all  over,  and  she  will 
come  to  the  church,  and  she  will  have  her  poor  little  nerves 
all  shocked  to  pieces  at  something  Sam  Jones  says,  and  she 
will  turn  up  her  nose  at  me,  and  I can  always  tell  when  the 
devil  has  got  a mortgage  on  a woman’s  nose.  It  is  always 
turning  up.  (Loud  laughter  and  applause.)  And  he  is 
going  to  foreclose  it  some  of  these  days,  too,  sister,  and  he 
will  get  the  gal  when  he  gets  the  nose.  (Renewed  laughter.) 

I am  glad  to  see  that  there  is  some  response  out  of  you  all. 
I can  tolerate  anything  but  a dead  church.  You  all  can 
laugh,  and  that  show^s  you  are  not  dead,  to  say  the  least.  I 
want  to  get  your  hide  loosened  up.  Sometimes  the  curry- 
comb is  worth  more  than  the  corn  in  a hide-bound  church, 
to  loo'sen  them  up,  and  to  let  them  go.  (Laughter.) 

Dr.  Tudor. — Amen. 

Brother  Jones. — Brother  Tudor  says,  “ Amen.”  He 
knows  what  he  is  talking  about.  (Renewed  laughter.) 
Take  an  old  hide-bound  ox  out  in  Texas  in  March,  and  you 
can  catch  hold  of  his  hide  upon  his  back,  and  you  can  pull, 
and  it  will  make  him  hop  like  a monkey,  and  he  will  not 
grow  until  you  loosen  him  up.  We  need  loosening  up.  I 
am  glad  to  see  you  got  some  response  in  you.  I like  folks 
that  have  got  some  laugh  in  them.  There  is  nothing  to  be 
done  with  a dead  crowd. 

AN  ACTIVE  SPIRIT  ! 

Oh,  my ! how  we  lack  that  in  this  city ! I’ll  tell  you. 
Pull  hard,  one  heart  with  another,  catching  fire.  See  those 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT.  35 

jets  along  the  streets — those  lamps.  The  lamp  lighter  goes 
.from  one  of  them  to  another,  and  then  to  another,  and  on 
and  on,  until  at  last  ray  meets  ray  and  light  meets  light 
and  the  whole  city  is  lighted  up.  Brother,  let  us  get  our 
hearts  on  fire  and  let  it  leap  heart  to  heart  and  home  to 
home,  until  the  whole  city  is  afire  with  the  love  of  the  spir- 
it of  God.  We  said  this  light  is  an  active  principle ; it  will 
put  us  to  work.  A few  hours  ago  this  world  was  asleep  ; it 
was  dark.  Oh,  how  the  world  sleeps  when  it  is  dark. 
Darkness  is  the  emblem  of  inactivity,  sleepiness  and  death ; 
light  is  the  active  principle.  Now,  a few  hours  ago  the 
oxen  were  lying  down  peaceably  and  asleep,  the  birds 
perched  on  the  limbs  of  the  trees  and  all  humanity  asleep. 
Now  God  wants  to  wake  up  this  world  and  put  it  in  motion. 
What  will  he  do  ? Go  over  there  on  the  hillside  and  strike 
that  old  ox  on  the  head  ? And  will  he  come  over  here  and 
shake  the  boughs  to  wake  up  those  birds  ? And  will  he  go 
to  my  front  door  and  knock  to  wake  me  up  ? No,  sir ! 
When  God  wants  to  wake  this  world  up,  he  just  lets  the  sun 
peep  over  the  hills  and  now  we  see  the  birds  singing,  and 
the  oxen  feeding  and  humanity  going  on  in  a driving  roar 
and  rush.  And  when  God  shall  turn  the  light  of  his  spirit 
loose  upon  us  in  this  town,  you  will  see  activity  and  all 
things  moving  up.  It’s  darkness  and  death  that  surrounds 
us.  That  is  the  trouble. 

A DEVELOPING  PRINCIPLE, 
bet  your  light  so  shine,. 

An  active  principle  to  put  us  to  work,  and  it  is  not  only 
an  active  principle,  but  it  is  a developing  principle.  Oh, 
my!  when  light  and  labor  bear  in  upon  the  right  together, 
how  there  is  development,  development,  growth,  growth ! 

And  I will  tell  you  another  thing  : It  is  grow  or  die. 


36 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


There  is  no  alternative  but  that.  It  is  grow  or  die,  and  the 
only  way  I can  grow  is  to  work.  It  is  work  or  die  ! How 
many  Christian  people  in  this  community,  if  you  were  to 
get  them  to  write  out  the  history  of  their  lives,  of  all  they 
have  done  for  Christ  in  ten  years,  members  of  your  church, 
perhaps,  would  be  ashamed  to  write  it,  and  in  disgust  would 
drop  down  on  their  knees.  “ What  have  I done  ? ” Work 
— the  developing  principle.  A great  many  in  this  world 
say,  “Well,  what  can  I do?  What  can  I do? 55  Well, 
brothers,  some  time  ago  at  Chattanooga,  I was  going  out  on 
the  Memphis  and  Charleston  Railroad,  and  I walked 
around  the  great  engine  that  was  going  to  pull  us  out  in  a* 
few  minutes,  and  as  I did  so  I saw  the  engineer  jump  off  his 
engine  with  one  of  those  long-necked  oil  cans  in  his  hand  to 
oil  the  machinery,  first  one  part  and  then  another.  I saw  him 
oil  the  driving  wheel,  the  piston  rod,  the  rock-around  and 
the  steam  chest.  I saw  him  going  from  one  piece  of  ma- 
chinery to  the  other,  and  I thought  this  way : “ W ell,  if  I 
was  any  part  of  that  grand  engine,  I’d  like  to  be  the  driv- 
ing wheel ; there  is  the  secret  of  the  great  speed.  If  I 
could  not  be  the  driving  wheel,  I’d  like  to  be  the  truck  and 
roll  ahead  of  all  the  rest ; and  if  I could  not  be  that,  I’d  like 
to  be  the  steam  chest,  where  the  power  is  located,”  and  I 
noticed  every  part  of  that  machinery  got  oil  out  of  the  same 
can,  whether  it  be  the  big  piece  or  little  ; and  I want  to  tell 
you  to-day  out  of  God’s  great  reservoir  of  grace,  wdiether 
you  be  a big  worker  or  a little  worker,  you  get  oil  out  of 
the  same  can,  and  I want  the  spirit  of  consecration  to  pos- 
sess your  church,  Brother  Tudor. 

Dr.  Tudor — Amen  ! 

THE  NECESSITY  FOR  FUEL. 

Brother  Jones. — In  Georgia  we  got  a little  Methodist 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIGHT. 


37 


minister.  He  ain’t  any  bigger  than  I am.  There  is  only 
one  trouble  with  him,  that  he  is  parsimonious ; he  is  very 
stingy.  With  that  exception  he  is  a grand  man.  He  is 
worth  $20,000,  and  we  can’t  get  but  $1,500  a year  out  of 
him  for  God  and  religion,  but  with  the  exception  of  that 
one  thing  of  stinginess,  he  is  a grand  man.  He  is  worth 
$20,000,  and  he  won’t  give  but  $1,500  every  year  for  the 
cause  of  God.  You  have  got  one  Methodist  in  St.  Louis — 
you  may  have  a thousand — but  you  have  got  one  Metho- 
dist in  St.  Louis  that  is  an  honor  to  God  and  a blessing  to 
this  city.  I say  you  may  have  a thousand,  but  I say  you 
have  got  one.  I heard  of  him  before  I got  here.  I heard 
of  him  afar  off.  Well,  we  had  a talking  meeting  in  Trinity 
Church — I started  on  an  engine,  the  different  parts  of  the 
engine,  the  great  engineering  of  the  church,  its  various 
machinery — and  one  fellow  got  up.  Said  he,  “ Brethren, 
I’d  like  to  be  the  boiler  of  the  great  engine, ' where  the 
power  is  generated.”  Another  said,  “ I’d  like  to  be  the 
cow  catcher,  the  fender,  and  keep  the  way  clear.”  An- 
other said  he  would  like  to  be  the  headlight  and  throw  his 
rays  ahead,  and  another  said  he  would  like  to  be  the  whistle 
and  sound  the  praise  of  God  all  over , the  country,  and 
another  said  he  would  like  to  be  the  cab  to  protect  the 
engineer.  And  so  on  they  went,  and  directly  this  little 
Methodist  got  up.  Said  he,  “Brethren,  I am  perfectly 
willing  to  be  the  old,  black  coal  they  pitch  into  the  furnace 
to  burn  up  and  carry  us  on  to  glory.”  If  we  had  some  of 
that  sort  that  are  willing  to  be  the  old,  black  coal  which 
shall  burn  out  and  generate  heat.  We  decrease,  but  God 
increases.  Oh,  God!  if  necessary  to  pull  this  train  to 
Heaven,  let  me  be  the  coal  and  let  me  be  consumed  to  save 
the  city,  whether  we  are  consumed  or  not.  ( Amen.) 


33 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS 


VERY  MUCH  IN  EARNEST. 

Brethren,  I have  been  just  as  serious  in  this  service  as 
you  would  permit  me.  You  got  about  what  you  came  for, 
and  you  will  always  get  that.  Going  to  church  is  like  go- 
ing shopping.  A sister  goes  into  this  magnificent  dry 
goods  store  ; there  is  $200,000  worth  of  goods  in  it,  but  she 
buys  her  paper  of  pins  and  goes  out.  That’s  all  she  came 
for — just  a paper  of  pins.  And  you  know  it  is  a good 
deal  that  w~ay  about  going  to  church : we  get  what  we 
come  for.  You  all  kuow  that.  I have  said  just  what 
you  have  expected  me  to  say — that  is  all.  That  is  all 
I aimed  to  do — to  give  you  what  you  came  for.  I al- 
ways throw  a few  bones  without  any  meat  on,  and  in 
as  large  a crowd  as  this  there  are  always  some  dogs  that 
want  a few  bones.  I throw  them  a few  bones  on  purpose 
for  them  to  gnaw  and  growl  at.  They  will  growl,  you 
know,  and  when  you  hear  any  one  growl  let  him  alone, 
yon  know  it  is  a dog  (laughter),  and  just  let  him  growl. 
That  is  my  doctrine.  And  if  you  see  one  fellow  running 
and  hollering,  you  know  that  is  a hit  dog.  Let  him  alone, 
for  if  he  is  not  hit,  what  is  he  hollering  for  ? That  is  the 
point  with  me,  and  we  just  go  on  our  way.  Some  of  you 
would  not  preach  like  I do  ; you  have  got  your  ways  and 
methods,  but  I tell  you  I am  wfilling  to  swap  fishing  tackle 
with  any  fellow  whose  string  of  fish  is  bigger  than  mine,  but 
I want  to  see  the  string  of  fish  before  I swap  tackle  with 
him.  (Laughter.) 

One  preacher  told  me  he  got  down  on  his  knees  one 
evening  and  prayed  to  Heaven,  to  God  Almighty,  to 
straighten  out  Brother  Joues  and  to  change  him  in  a few 
things,  and  that  he  would  be  a good  preacher  if  that  could 
be  done.  He  prayed  until  about  sundown  and  got  off  his 


THE  CHRIS  I IAN  LIGHT. 


39 


knees,  and  the  Lord  seemed  to  say  to  him,  “ Well,  I heard 
yon  praying  for  Jones,  and  if  I was  to  take  all  those  things 
away  from  him  he  would  be  no  more  account  than  you 
are.”  ( Loud  laughter.)  He  said  it  liked  to  scare  him  to 
death,  and  he  has  never  prayed  on  that  line  since. 

TRADING  FISHING  TACKLE. 

And  when  any  of  you  all  have  a bigger  string  of  fish  be- 
hind your  fishing  tackle,  I will  trade  with  any  fellow,  but 
until  you  find  more  fish  I will  not  trade.  You  come  in  and 
help  me  and  God  will  bless  the  work  and  we’ll  all  rejoice 
together  and  bring  our  fish  home  together.  May  the  Lord 
encourage  you  to-day  to  do  great  things.  Something  tells 
me  we  will  take  in  thousands  of  souls  during  these  meet- 
ings. You  may  say,  “Well,  it  don’t  look  like  there  can  be 
anything  done.”  Well,  brother,  that  old  ram’s  horn  was  a 
peculiar  thing  to  tear  down  a wall  with,  wasn’t  it  ? But, 
sir,  it  did  it.  And  that  is  what  we  can  hope  to  do.  We’ll 
do  it.  Let  us  take  these  things  and  let  us  not  think  what 
part  and  lot  we  have  got  in  these,  and  talk  about  others. 
If  you  are  against  me,  talk  the  more.  I’d  as  soon  you  would 
throw  mud  at  me  as  to  praise  me.  I don’t  want  any  one  to 
do  that.  Just  say  as  much  against  me  as  for  me,  and  if  you 
hear  any  one  down  town  bark,  let  him  bark.  So  come  back 
this  afternoon.  At  2:30  Brother  Small  will  preach,  and 
to-night,  the  Lord  willing,  I will  preach  again,  and  three 
times  straight  along  every  day — at  10:30,  2:30  and  7:30.  I 
am  very  much  in  earnest. 

MUST  HAVE  CO-OPERATION. 

I have  no  time  to  throw  away.  If  you  want  me  and  are 
willing  to  work,  I am  your  man,  God  heljiing  me  ; but  to- 
morrow morning,  if  you  are  not  here  at  10:30  o’clock,  I 
will  not  be  here  to-morrow  night.  There  is  a train  goes 


40 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


away,  yon  know,  in  the  evening  just  before  the  meeting. 
If  you  ain’t  here  to-morrow  morning  at  10:30  o’clock,  and 
you  meet  anybody  to-morrow  evening,  and  they  ask  you 
was  you  here,  and  you  say  no,  and  they  ask  you  why,  don’t 
you  tell  ’em  no  lie.  You  tell  ’em  because  you  didn’t  want  to 
come.  Because  I can  take  a thousand  one  hundred  dollar 
bills  every  morning  and  fill  this  church  up  and  give  every 
fellow  a hundred  dollars  that  will  come.  That  will  fill  up 
every  seat  here,  and  every  street  for  a mile  around,  if  they’ll 
get  a hundred  dollars.  If  you  come  for  one  hundred  dollars 
you  ought  to  come  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  I am  in  ear- 
nest. Trust  in  God,  give  him  all  the  glory ; want  to  see  a 
gracious  meeting  here,  believe  me,  we  will.  The  sooner 
we  take  hold  the  better.  The  time  is  short,  and  may  God 
Almighty  inspire  us  to  great  faith  and  great  works.  We 
will  receive  the  benediction. 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


41 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


We  invite  your  prayerful  attention  to  these  words  from 
the  second  chapter  of  St.  Paul’s  epistle  to  Titus,  and  the 
11th  and  12th  verses. 

For  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  unto  all 
men,  teaching  us  that  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should 
live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly,  in  this  present  world. 

REDEEMED  BY  THE  DIVINE  BLOOD. 

“We  are  not  redeemed,”  said  the  apostle,  “ by  corruptible 
things,  such  as  gold  and  silver,  but  by  the  precious  blood  of 
the  Son  of  God.”  When  that  precious  blood  came  gushing 
from  his  side,  the  recording  angel  dipped  his  pen  in  that 
blood  and  in  Heaven’s  chancery  wrote  on  mercy’s  page : 
“ Peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men.”  The  grace  of  God 
that  bringeth  salvation,  not  the  grace  of  God  that  makes 
me  feel  that  I am  a sinner  ; not  the  grace  of  God  that  saves 
me  from  sin,  but  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  “ salvation” 
in  all  of  its  incomprehensible  sense,  hath  unto  all  men  ap- 
peared. I am  so  glad  that  I can  put  my  eyes  on  this  book, 
and  lay  my  hand  on  my  heart  and  say,  I believe  that  Jesus 
died  for  me  personally  ; that  he  died  for  my  precious  wife ; 
that  he  died  for  each  one  of  my  children.  He  died,  not  for 
me  only,  but  for  you  and  your  wife  and  children,  and  your 
children’s  children  to  all  generations.  Oh,  I am  so  glad  this 
work  is  reaching  a right  conclusion  ; that  God  is  not  mad 
with  anybody ; that  he  loves  the  bad  man  as  well  as 
the  best  man.  I am  so  glad  the  pulpit  has  got  where  it 
can  look  up  to  God,  who  is  the  author  of  pulpits,  and 
say,  “ Jesus  Christ  tasted  death  for  every  man.”  Oh,  what 
a truth ! God  not  only  wills  the  salvation  of  all  man- 


42 


SAM  JONES'  SERMONS. 


kind,  but  lie  lias  provided  for  the  salvation  of  each  in- 
dividual. I believe  if  it  were  possible  to  find  one  immortal 
soul  for  whom  Jesus  did  not  die,  that  Jesus  would  leave 
Heaven,  come  back  and  suffer  again  on  Calvary  for  that  one 
immortal  soul.  No  man  was  ever  doomed  to  death  and  Hell 
that  did  not  have  a good  chance  to  get  to  Heaven,  and  about 
all  any  man  can  claim  is  one  good  chance  to  get  to  Heaven. 
A refusal  to  accept  that  chance  ought  to  bring  eternal  dam- 
nation. A great  many  men  think  that  about  all  religion  is  for 
is  to  prepare  them  in]some  mysterious  way  for  a happy  death 
and  a home  by  and  by  in  Heaven  ; and  really  we  have 
wasted  about  nine  tenths  of  our  time  thinking  of  a home 
over  yonder  in  the  promised  land.  I have  quit  thinking 
about  a heaven  over  yonder.  I want  it  here  in  Missouri. 
It  is  like  preaching  everlastingly  for  heavenly  recogni- 
tion. I tell  them  that  I want  earthly  recognition.  I want 
to  be  recognized  here.  When  I get  to  Heaven  and  have 
a crown  on  my  head,  and  a harp  in  my  hand,  and  am 
a heavenly  millionaire,  you  need  not  recognize  me.  I 
do  not  want  it  then.  (Laughter.)  I want  earthly  recogni. 
tion  ; I want  heaven  here  ; I want  to  shun  hell  in  St.  Louis, 
although  there  is  a good  deal  of  it  to  the  square  inch  here. 
(Renewed  laughter.)  Let  us  quit  this  everlasting  harping 
about  heaven  and  hell  hereafter.  Let  us  talk  about  heaven 
and  hell  down  here  in  our  midst,  for  I declare  that  no  man 
will  ever  go  to  Lleaven  until  by  some  means  he  manufac- 
tures him  a little  heaven  to  go  to  Heaven  in  ; and  no  man 
will  ever  go  to  Hell  until  he  generates  enough  brimstone  to 
go  with.  (Laughter.) 

THE  TRANSFORMATION. 

Some  talk  about  angels  carrying  souls  to  Heaven. 
When  a soul  goes  to  Heaven  it  outstrips  the  speed  of  angels’ 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


43 


wings  ; but  there  are  some  of  you  who  would  never  get  to 
Heaven  unless  some  angel  band  should  take  you  there. 
(Laughter.)  To  get  to  Heaven  you  have  got  to  turn  or 
back  up  on  the  golden  gates.  There  is  no  doubt  about  that. 
There  is  too  much  heart  religion  in  this  world.  It  is  gen- 
erally locked  in  the  heart  and  never  seen  upon  the  surface. 
Religion  is  as  much  a thing  of  the  head,  of  the  foot,  of  the 
tongue  and  of  the  brain  as  it  is  of  the  heart.  If  I could 
only  have  religion  in  one  place  I would  have  it  in  my  right 
hand,  so  that  I could  go  out  and  do  something  for  Christ. 
There  is  nothing  in  heart  religion,  and  I have  told  our  col- 
ored brethren  down  South  that  they  have  run  this  heart  re- 
ligion until  many  of  them  have  run  themselves  into  a hen- 
roost. (Laughter.)  There  is  grace  enough  in  this  universe 
for  every  man  of  us  to  have  every  square  inch  of  him  full 
of  grace.  I have  a contempt  for  heart  religion.  There 
are  people  who  are  afraid  to  say  anything  about  their  re- 
ligion. They  are  afraid  of  being  ranked  as  Pharisees.  I 
have  seen  a great  many  different  characters,  but  I never 
saw  a Pharisee.  I reckon  that  if  Dr.  Tudor  had  one  in  his 
congregation  he  would  make  him  president  of  the  board  of 
trustees.  A Pharisee  would  give  one  tenth  of  all  he  had  to 
God ; he  would  fast  once  a wreek  and  perform  other  sacri- 
fices. There  is  not  one  of  you  who  need  be  uneasy  or 
afraid  of  being  set  down  as  a Pharisee.  (Laughter.)  There 
is  no  use  talking  about  grace  taking  us  to  Heaven  as  we 
are  There  is  many  a fellow  if  he  could  get  to  Heaven  as 
he  is  who  would  not  be  there  long  until  there  would  be 
confusion. 

A MORTGAGE  ON  HEAVEN. 

Take  a money  monger,  one  of  those  20-per-cent  fellows  ; 
if  he  were  to  be  let  into  Hea  ven  he  would  set  up  immedi- 


44 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


ately  on  a corner  lot  and  have  a mortgage  on  half  of 
Heaven.  (Laughter.)  I am  glad  God  Almighty  will  not 
let  such  men  into  Heaven.  (Renewed  laughter.)  Take  one 
of  those  old  demijohns  (laughter)  and  carry  him  to  Heaven 
as  he  is.  When  he  would  awake  next  morning  the  first 
thing  he  would  want  would  be  a drink  (laughter),  and  if 
there  was  a low  place  in  the  fence  he  would  jnmp  over  it, 
repair  to  the  nearest  bar-room,  and  be  back  again  before 
breakfast.  Heaven  is  a prepared  place  for  the  prepared. 
Jesus  said:  “I  go  and  prepare  a place  for  you.”  My  only 
concern  is,  shall  I be  prepared  to  live  in  such  a home  as  hej  _ 
shall  make  for  me.  It  is  said  that  the  great  trouble  with 
nineteenth  century  religion  is  that  the  truth  is  not  preached. 
There  has  not  been  a sermon  preached  during-  the  past  fifty 
years  that  has  not  contained  enough  truth  to  save  every 
man,  woman  and  child  in  Christendom.  , What  is  the  trouble 
then?  No  one  has  any  room  for  truth.  Every  fellow  is 
chock-full  of  Iris  own  opinions.  One  says,  “It  is  my  opin- 
ion there  is  no  harm  in  a social  game  at  cards,  if  you  do 
not  bet.”  Another  will  say,  “ It  is  my  opinion  there  is  no 
harm  in  going  to  the  theater.”  Another  will  say,  u It  is 
my  opinion  I can  live  out  of  the  church  and  be  just  as 
good  as  I can  be  in  the  church.”  I assert  that  no  man  has 
a right  to  an  opinion  on  a moral  question.  The  only  way 
to  tell  whether  a man  is  crooked  or  straight  is  to  put  the 
straight-edge  to  him.  It  is  no  use  standing  up  like  a fool 
and  guessing  whether  he  is  crooked  or  straight.  (Laughter.) 
Here  is  the  straight-edge  (pointing  to  the  Bible.)  I don’t  say 
a man  has  not  a right  to  his  opinions  on  doctrinal  questions, 
but  the  constant  iteration  of  “ It  is  my  opinion,”  by  pro- 
fessing Christians,  is  crushing  the  life  out  of  the  church  and 
damning  the  world. 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


45 


THE  WHISKY  DRINKERS. 

I can  sort  of  put  up  with  a fellow  who  drinks  whisky  if 
he  hangs  his  head  down  like  a dog,  but  when  he  holds  his 
head  up  and  says  he  likes  to  drink  it,  I have  a contempt  for 
him.  I can  put  up  with  a Methodist  who  goes  to  the  theater 
if  he  wears  a hang-dog  look ; but  if  he  gets  up  and  argues 
for  it,  I would  not  wipe  my  feet  on  him.  I can  sort  of  put 
up  with  a member  of  the  church  when  he  plays  cards,  but 
when  he  advocates  card-playing  I have  a contempt  for  him. 
I have  as  much  contempt  for  a member  of  a church  that 
does  these  things  as  I have  for  a Georgia  chain-gang  negro, 
and  that  is  pretty  tough.  A man  once  asked  me  how  long 
it  had  been  since  I was  at  a theater.  I told  him  I had  not 
been  at  the  theater  since  I had  quit  being  a vagabond.  But 
I am  glad  we  have  theaters,  because  they  draw  the  line.  A 
man  in  my  own  town  once  said  to  me:  “If  you  will  con- 
vince me  it  is  wrong  to  play  cards,  I will  never  touch  them 
again.’5  I replied : “ There  is  one  thing  you  are  already 

convinced  of;  you  are  of  no  account  in  your  church.”  “Yes,” 
he  said,  “ I know  that.”  “ Then,”  I returned,  “ if  you  are  of  no 
account  in  your  church  I have  no  time  to  fool  away  with 
you,”  and  I walked  off  and  left  him.  When  a man  is  of  no 
account  in  his  church,  it  is  of  no  use  trying  to  convince  him  of 
anything.  Such  men  should  examine  themselves  and  shun 
the  sins  that  render  them  of  no  account.  It  is  not  the  lying, 
thieving,  and  drunken  members  of  the  church  that  do  the 
most  harm,  but  it  is  the  tide  of  worldliness  that  is  sweeping 
over  the  people  and  paralyzing  their  Christian  life  and  ruin- 
ing their  children,  about  whom  a bulwark  of  sin  is  being 
erected  which  the  Gospel  can  not  overreach. 


46 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


CONTEMPT  FOR  THE  COLONELS. 

I have  the  profonndest  contempt  for  those  Colonels 
and  Majors  and  Judges  who  grace  our  curbstones  and  sa- 
loons. They  have  nothing  to  commend  them  to  God  but 
their  money  and  their  means.  If  there  is  anybody  I want 
to  see  go  to  Heaven  it  is  poor  white  folks  and  niggers. 
The  Colonels  and  those  big  fellows  who  have  had  such  a 
good  time  here  can  sorter  afford  to  go  to  Hell.  We  can’t. 
When  the  Colonel  says,  “ It’s  my  opinion,”  he  claims  that 
his  opinions  are  original  with  him.  They  are  not.  He  got 
them  from  Hell,  and  they  are  going  back  to  Hell  if  they 
take  the  old  Colonel  with  them.  If  there  is  anything  I 
hate,  and  hate  with  a bitter  and  uncompromising  hatred,  it  is 
whisky.  It  blights  the  world,  demoralizes  society,  damns 
souls,  and  peoples  Hell  with  immortal  beings.  We  talk 
about  pitching  into  revival  work  here,  and  at  best  we  shall 
but  bring  2,500  or  3,000  souls  to  God,  while  there  are  1,800 
saloons  here  damning  the  city  week  after  week.  We  need 
some  old-fashioned  preaching.  The  only  safe  latitude  for 
Christians  to  travel  in  is  family  prayer,  the  reading  of  the 
Scriptures  and  undying  devotion  to  right.  In  the  work  I 
have  undertaken  here,  I want  your  co-operation.  Some  of 
you  may  leave  and  say,  “ I can’t  indorse  that  man.”  I don’t 
want  you  to  indorse  me ; I don’t  think  it  would  do  me  any 
good  to  be  indorsed  by  a one-horse  member  of  a church. 
(Laughter.)  But  I want  every  clerical  and  lay  brother  in 
town  to  come  and  help  us.  The  daughter  of  a minister 
once  said  to  me,  “ My  father  does  not  believe  in  revivals.” 
“Your  father  and  the  devil  are  together  in  that,”  I replied. 
(Laughter.)  I do  not  know  how  they  stood  on  other  things. 
(Renewed  laughter.)  I once  said  to  a brother  who  attended 
one  of  my  meetings  that  his  church  was  but  the  Lord’s 


THE  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


47 


crocheting  society.  He  went  away  insulted.  I also  told 
him  that  if  the  Lord  did  not  change  him  somehow  he  would 
not  be  in  Heaven  three  days  before  he  would  have  all  the 
angels  rigged  out  in  lace.  He  came  back  a few  nights 
afterward,  and  standing  upon  the  platform,  he  said : “Broth- 
er J ones  was  right,  and  I am  wrong.  I have  received  a 
blessing.  Call  it  what  you  will,  getting  religion  or  being 
converted,  I have  got  it,  I have  got  it.”  There  are  a good 
many  listening  to  me  who  would  be  a sight  on  wheels,  but 
who  are  not  now  worth  killing.  Be  prepared  and  keep 
right. 


48 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


Last  night  we  selected  this  text  in  the  second  chapter  of 
St.  Paul  to  Titns. 

For  the  grace  of  God,  that  bringeth  salvation,  hath  appeared  unto  all 
men,  teaching  us  that  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should 
live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  this  present  world. 

I announced  last  night  we  wonld  take  np  the  discussion 
of  that  text  again  to-night.  I think  we  left  off  at  this  point 
about  the  grace  of  God  teaching  us,  and  how  it  is  necessary 
that  we  should  be  taught.  The  honor  of  Christ  and  the 
salvation  of  our  own  souls  depend  largely  upon  our  holding 
and  practising  proper  views  of  the  Scripture.  Ignorance 
is  a sort  of  heterogeneous  compound  that  God  nor  man  can 
do  much  with.  The  fact  is,  we  must  know  something  be- 
fore we  are  capacitated  to  do  something,  and  all  intelligent 
action  is  based  on  intelligent  thought,  and  there  can  be 
no  intelligent  thought  unless,  perhaps,  we  know  some  things. 
The  man  who  really  knows  one  thing  well  is  on  the  road 
to  know  a great  many  things,  and  the  trouble,  perhaps, 
with  a large  mass  of  humanity  is  they  have  never  known 
one  thing  well. 

And  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  unto  all 
men  teaching  us — 

instructing  us,  qualifying  us.  Teaching  us  what  ? 

That  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously  and  godly  in  this  present  world. 

NEGATIVE  GOODNESS. 

In  plain  English,  teaching  us,  Ci  cease  to  do  evil ; learn  to 
do  well.”  Conversion  is  a very  common  term  in  the  church 
and  in  the  pulpit.  Sometimes  we  use  it  in  a very  vague 
sense.  Conversion,  scripturally,  means  simply  two  things : 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


49 


1.  “I  have  quit  the  wrong.’5  2.  “ I have  taken  hold  of  the 
right.55  No  man  is  scripturally  converted  until  he  throws 
down  the  wrong  and  walks  off  from  the  wrong,  and  walks 
up  to  the  right  and  espouses  the  cause  of  the  right.  Re- 
ligion is  a two-fold  principle,  or  rather  it  is  a principle  that 
enables  man  to  discern  the  right  and  to  do  the  right,  to  dis- 
cern the  wrong  and  to  make  him  hate  the  wrong.  There 
are  two  elements  in  every  pious  life  : 1.  Negative  good- 

ness. 2.  Positive  righteousness.  Negative  goodness  is  not 
religion.  If  negative  goodness  was  religion,  then  one  of 
these  lamp-posts  out  here  would  be  the  best  Christian  in  town; 
it  never  cursed,  nor  swore,  nor  drank  a drop  since  it  was 
made  ; it  never  did  anything  wrong.  If  negative  goodness 
is  religion,  then  a stock,  or  stone,  or  mountain,  would  be 
the  best  specimen  of  Christian  this  world  has.  Negative 
goodness  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  halves  of  religion  ; but 
genuine  religion,  Christly  religion,  means  not  only  that  a 
man  is  negatively  good,  but  that  he  is  positively  righteous. 
There  is  no  power  in  a negative  position,  or  in  being  nega- 
tive. Christ  Jesus  saw  this  when  he  told  his  preachers  to 
go  forth  and  affirm  and  preach  the  gospel,  not  go  to  denying 
the  denials  of  infidelity.  I never  uttered  a sentence  in  my 
life  to  prove  that  the  Bible  was  true.  I never  spent  five 
minutes  in  my  life  trying  to  prove  there  was  a hell.  I 
never  spent  fifteen  seconds  in  the  pulpit  in  my  life  trying 
to  prove  there  is  a God.  Nobody  but  a fool  needs  such 
argument.  A man  told  me  once,  “ I don’t  believe  there  is  a 
God.  I don’t  believe  I am  anything  but  mortal.”  Said  I, 
“ If  I was  you  I would  get  me  a little  more  hair  and  a tail 
and  be  a sure  enough  dog.”  I believe  I would.  (Laughter.) 

NO  POWER  IN  NEGATION. 

There  is,  as  I said,  no  power  in  a negative  force,  and  none 

4 


50 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


in  a negative  position  of  any  sort.  We  are  not  sent 
forth  to  deny  anything  that  anybody  says,  but  we  are  sent 
forth  to  affirm  something.  An  aggressive  Christianity  is 
always  affirmative.  I am  sorry  for  the  preacher  that  has 
backslidden  far  enough  to  try  to  prove  in  his  sermon  that 
there  is  a God.  I am  sorry  for  the  preacher  that  has  got 
so  low  down  in  his  theology  that  he  is  trying  to  establish 
the  fact  that  there  is  a hell  sure  enough.  I know  of  men 
trying  to  establish  the  fact  that  there  is  no  hell.  A gentle- 
man said  to  me  the  other  day  that,  the  fact  was  nearly  es- 
tablished. I said  to  him,  “ When  did  you  start  your  explor- 
ing party  down  there,  and  when  will  they  return  to  report  ? ” 
He  said  he  hadn’t  started  anybody  and  he  wasn’t  looking 
for  them  to  return.  Said  I,  “ How  are  you  going  to  prove 
anything,  then  ? ” And  I want  to  tell  you  this  much  : The 
assertions  of  the  word  of  God  on  all  these  questions  stand 
unshaken  to-day,  and  a little  colored  child  of  three  years  old 
in  this  city  knows  just  as  much  about  hell  as  any  living 
scientist.  I suppose  some  of  the  dead  ones  know  more 
about  it.  (Laughter.)  There’s  many  a fellow  that  has  writ- 
ten hell  out  of  his  theology  here,  but  he  won’t  be  in  Hell 
fifteen  seconds  till  he  will  jump  and  say,  “ My  Lord ! Wlfat 
a mistake  I made  in  my  theology.  There  is  one,  sure 
enough.”  (Laughter.)  Bob  Ingersoll  wras  speaking  on  one 
occasion — I have  got  a good  deal  of  respect  for  Bob  Inger- 
soll — a great  deal  more  respect  than  I have  for  a great 
many  members  of  the  church  in  this  town,  a great  deal. 
(Laughter.)  When  Bob  says  he  don’t  believe  the  Bible  and 
don’t  pay  any  attention  to  its  precepts,  they  say  they  believe 
it,  but  do  just  like  Bob,  you  see.  I can’t  stand  that. 
(Laughter.)  And  it  isn’t  theoretical  infidelity  that  is  curs- 
ing this  country ; it  is  practical  infidelity ; that’s  the  sort. 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


Si 


AN  INGERSOLL  STORY. 

Well,  Ingersoll  was  lecturing — I believe  it  was  in  Mil- 
waukee— and  in  liis  lecture  he  came  to  this  assertion,  and 
while  he  lectured  there  were  standing  up  in  the  corner  of 
the  platform  three  or  four  drunken  men,  standing  there 
talking  in  an  undertone.  That  crowd  felt  like  they  ought 
to  take  the  amen  corners  on  Bob ; and  all  I want  to  know 
about  any  fellow  is  who  takes  the  amen  corners  on  him ; and 
when  you  find  Bob  preaching  you  will  find  the  amen  corners 
filled  with  old  red  nosed  drunkards  and  other  vagabonds  of 
the  town;  they  have  rushed  up  and  taken  the  amen  corners 
on  him.  And  while  Bob  was  lecturing,  when  he  reached 
the  assertion,  “ There  is  no  hell,  and  I can  prove  it  to  any 
reasonable  man,”  he  got  the  attention  at  that  word,  of  course. 
They  were  interested  at  this  point  (laughter),  and  one  of 
them  straightened  himself  up,  and  staggered  up  to  Bob  and 
put  his  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and  said,  “ Can  you,  Bob  ? ” He 
said,  “Yes,  I can.”  “ Well,”  the  fellow  says,  “do  it,  Bob 
(laughter)  ; and  make  it  mighty  strong,  for,”  he  says,  “I  tell 
you  that  nine  tenths  of  us  poor  fellows  in  Milwaukee  are 
depending  on  how  you  make  that  thing.”  (Great  laughter.) 

THE  VALUE  OF  THE  BIBLE. 

So  we  say  we  never  need  try  to  prove  anything  that  the 
Bible  asserts.  We  are  to  preach  the  word  to  the  people 
and  the  Bible  will  take  care  of  itself.  The  Bible  was  the 
guide  of  my  mother.  It  was  the  stay  of  my  father’s  life; 
it  was  a lamp  unto  his  feet  and  a light  unto  his  path,  and  he 
bequeathed  it  to  me  as  his  richest  gift  to  his  wayward  boy; 
and  I say  to  you  to-night : take  all  other  things  from  me 
and  my  home,  but  leave  me  my  Bibls. 


UNIVERSITY  Of 
ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 
AT  URBANA-CHAMPAiGN 


52 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


The  precious  book  I’d  rather  have 
Than  all  the  golden  gems 
That  e’er  in  monarchs’  coffers  shone 
Or  on  their  diadems. 

And  were  the  seas  one  chrysolite, 

This  earth  a golden  ball, 

And  gems  were  all  the  stars  of  night, 

This  book  were  worth  them  all. 

Ah,  no,  the  soul  ne’er  found  relief 
In  glittering  hoards  of  wealth  ; 

Gems  dazzle  not  the  eye  of  grief; 

Gold  can  not  purchase  health. 

But  here’s  a blessed  balm 
For  every  human  woe, 

And  they  that  seek  that  book  in  tears, 

Their  tears  shall  cease  to  flow. 

Bless  God  for  the  Bible,  which  is  the  guide  of  my  life 
and  the  inspiration  of  my  soul. 

THE  FORCE  OF  POSITIVISM. 

We  said  a moment  ago  that  its  positive  and  negative 
features — these  two  combined — give  it  force  and  power — 
give  Christian  life  force  and  power.  There  is  no  power  in 
electricity  until  you  bring  the  two  forces,  positive  and 
negative,  together.  You  see  that  negative  electricity 
gathering  about  the  trunk  of  this  old  oak  tree  ? That 
tree  has  withstood  a thousand  storms,  and  now  we  see 
this  negative  electricity  climbing  up  its  body  and  settling 
in  its  foliage;  and  now  the  positive  electricity  passes  over 
it  in  the  cloud,  and  negative  strikes  positive,  and  the  two 
forces  come  together  in  the  top  of  this  old  oak  tree,  and  it 
comes  with  a crash  and  splits  that  oak  tree  from  its  topmost 
twig  to  the  last  bottom  of  its  roots.  There’s  power. 
There’s  omnipotence.  And  so  in  the  life  of  every  good 
man  who  is  negatively  good  and  positively  righteous. 
Look  at  George  Whitfield  with  his  whole  nature  sur- 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


53 


charged  with  negative  goodness  and  his  life  full  of  positive 
righteousness.  We  see  him  going  out  to  the  moorfields  of 
London  at  3 and  4 o’clock  in  the  morning  with  10,000  lan- 
terns blazing  all  around  him.  George  Whitfield  preaches 
the  gospel,  and  before  daylight  and  sun-up  he  has  a thou- 
sand penitents  and  a thousand  converts  and  does  more  before 
breakfast  in  the  morning  than  all  the  pulpits  in  London  did 
the  year  round.  That  looks  like  business.  (Applause.) 

LAZY  GOODY-GOODY. 

Negative  goodness  ! The  Lord  knows  I have  a contempt 
for  the  good-goody  members  of  the  Church.  (Laughter 
and  applause.)  Old  Brother  Goody-Goody  and  Old  Sister 
Goody-Goody  (laughter)  just  goody-goody  and  so  good  they 
are  good  for  nothing.  (Laughter.)  Haven’t  you  seen  ’em? 

I believe  in  doing  good.  I like  goodness.  I despise  every 
wicked  act  that  a man  can  do.  But  I tell  you  this  : I have 
had  members,  as  a pastor,  who  would  work  and  do  their 
level  best,  and  every  three  or  four  months  they  would  get 
drunk  in  spite  of  everything  I could  do.  When  they  were 
sober,  they  went  up  to  their  eyes  in  religion  and  in  work 
and  righteousness,  and  I tell  you  I hate  this  thing  you  call 
drunkenness,  and  no  man  hates  it  more  than  I do,  but  I had 
rather  have  a member  of  the  Church  who  would  get  drunk 
•every  three  or  four  months,  but  would  work  when  he  is 
sober  and  do  his  level  best,  than  one  of  these  sober  fellows 
that  ain’t  any  account  anyhow,  that  might  just  as  well  be 
drunk  or  just  as  well  be  dead.  God  pity  these  lazy,  shift- 
less kind  of  fellows.  All  they  want  in  God’s  world  is  some- 
where to  sit  down  and  somewhere  to  spit.  (Laughter.) 
Spitting  room  is  a big  thing  with  lazy  men.  (Laughter.) 

Now  recollect,  if  anybody  says  they  don’t  believe  in 
laughing  in  church,  that  you  are  in  a music  hall  to-night. 


54 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


You  can  j’ust  cut  your  patchin’  on  that  line.  There  ain’t 
any  harm  in  laughing  here. 

Teaching  that  we  must  quit  the  wrong — 

That  denying  ungodliness  and  wordly  lusts  we  must  live  soberly, 
righteously  and  godly  in  this  present  world — • 

teaching  me  this  fact,  and  the  first  lesson  Christ  ever  taught 
man  here  was  this  : “ You  are  a sinner  ; you  are  a wrong- 
doer; you  ought  to  cease  to  do  evil;  you  ought  to  forsake 
your  sins.5’ 

CROSSING  THE  RIVER  OF  RESOLUTION. 

And  I will  say  right  here  at  this  point,  I could  never  lay 
any  claim  to  the  salvation  of  Jesus  Christ  until  I bundled 
all  my  sins  up  in  one  common  bundle  and  threw  them  all 
down  and  walked  over  the  river  of  Resolution,  and  then 
turned  round  and  set  fire  to  the  bridge  and  stood  and 
watched  till  the  last  expiring  spark  dropped  into  the  water  ; 
and  then  I turned  my  back  on  sin  and  said  “I  am  in  now  for 
the  conversion  or  nothing,”  and  I hadn’t  got  fifteen  steps 
from  the  bank  of  that  river  till  I was  in  the  arms  of  God,  a 
saved  man  (applause),  and  I say  to  you  to-night — you  men 
of  the  Church  who  say,  u 1 can’t  live  without  sin,”  that  no 
man  ever  found  God  and  no  man  was  ever  converted  until 
he  quit  his  sins.  That’s  all  there  is  about  it.  When  I 
stand  up  and  preach  against  sin  and  sinners,  the  Church 
hollers,  Lay  on  MacDuff.’  Give  it  to  him.  He  ought 
to  have  it.”  But  when  I preach  at  the  Church  and  say, 
“You  men  who  profess  to  be  Christians,  you  are  living  in 
sin,”  they  say,  “ Oh,  he’s  one  of  these  sanctificationists,  and 
he’s  putting  on  airs.”  (Laughter.)  You  want  me  to  give 
it  to  these  old  sinners,  but  let  you  alone. 

Ah,  me!  brother!  If  God  Almighty  expects  these  sin- 
ners to  quit  sin,  what  does  he  expect  of  you  who  profess  to 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY.  55 

]ove  him,  who  profess  to  be  Christians?  That’s  the  way  to 
talk  it.  (Applause.) 

A BLAST  AT  PROGRESSIVE  EUCHRE. 

Cease  to  do  evil  and  learn  to  do  well.  I want  to  say  here 
in  my  place  to-night  that  I profess  to  know  a few  things 
along  this  line,  and  propose  to  say  them  to  that  member  of 
the  Church  that  dances  and  attends  theaters  and  plays  pro- 
gressive euchie — and  that’s  the  best  named  game  I ever 
heard  — progressive  euchre!  Progressive  euchre  double- 
quick  to  Hell  right  along.  (Laughter.)  And  I say  another 
thing.  There  is  no  progressive  euchre  player  in  this  house 
that  ought  not  to  be  indicted  for  violating  the  laws  of  Mis- 
souri and  be  put  in  one  of  the  jails  of  this  county.  (Ap- 
plause.) How  do  you  like  that?  It  is  just  gambling  scien- 
tifically, magnificently,  gloriously,  socially,  and  so  forth. 
That’s  what  it  is.  And  I’ll  tell  you,  in  our  State  we  can  in- 
dict a man  and  put  him  in  the  penitentiary  for  playing 
progressive  euchre  with  his  neighbors,  any  time,  and  I wrant 
to  see  the  day  come  when  if  Christians  haven’t  got  faith 
enough  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  their  profession  to  bind* 
them  to  decency  and  right  that  the  law  will  help  us  to 
make  our  members  decent.  I do.  I do,  sure.  (Ap- 
plause.) 

EUCHRE  PLAYERS  STILL  UNSAVED. 

And  the  man  who  is  running  these  things,  I’ll  tell  you 
the  truth,  brethren,  that  man  never  was  converted;  that 
man  never  has  repented  ; that  man  is  still  in  the  bonds  of 
iniquity  and  the  gall  of  bitterness.  You  ask  me  why? 
Well,  I got  religion  fourteen  years  ago  last  August — I was 
right  sure  there  — and  if  it  did  not  knock  that  card-playing, 
theater-going  system  out  of  me  right  there!  And  I never 


56 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


got  a symptom  of  it  since ; and  whenever  the  day  comes 
in  my  religions  experience  when  I want  to  play  cards,  and 
when  I want  to  drink  whisky,  and  when  I want  to  attend 
theaters,  I want  to  drop  down  on  my  knees  and  tell  the 
Lord,  “My  religion  is  played  out,  sure.  I never  felt  this 
symptom  since  I was  converted,  and  now,  Lord,  like  most 
Methodists,  my  religion  has  left  me  and  give  it  back  to  me 
again.”  That’s  the  way  I talk  (laughter),  and  all  I can  say 
of  you  Presbyterians  and  Christians  and  Baptists  that  are 
not  on  that  line  is,  you  never  had  any,  because  you  can’t 
lose  yours,  you  know  (laughter).  When  our  members  go 
to  the  devil  we  say  “they  have  lost  their  religion,”  and 
when  your  members  go  to  the  devil  you  say  “they  never 
had  any.”  Well,  it  don’t  make  any  difference  which  way 
it  is,  the  devil  has  got  them  sure.  (Laughter.) 

Teaching  us  that  we  must  cease  to  clo  evil  and  learn  to  do  well. 

This  is  the  Christian  truth  that  teaches  me  that  I must 
deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lust,  and  I must  live  soberly 
as  to  myself,  righteously  toward  my  neighbor,  godly  toward 
Him  unto  whom  I owe  so  much. 

How,  here  are  three  positive  attitudes  of  the  Christian. 
He  is  a sober-minded  man  in  his  relations  towTard  all  the 
world  around  him.  I like  one  of  these  sober-minded  men 
that  takes  a particular  view  of  everything,  and  goes  for  the 
long  run  all  the  time,  and  cares  nothing  for  counting  the 
present  results,  but  is  looking  to  the  great  long  run.  I like 
one  of  these  sober-minded  men.  He  is  the  same  every 
day,  and  the  same  under  all  circumstances  and  the  same 
everywhere;  he  is  just  as  good  in  Hew  York  as  he  is  in  St. 
Louis. 


CAUSE  FOR  DIVORCE. 

There  is  many  a fellow  that  is  a good  Christian  in  St. 
Louis,  but  if  he  were  to  wear  an  indicator  when  he  went  to 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


•57 


New  York,  wlien  he  got  back  his  wife  would  quit  him,  in 
my  candid  judgment.  (Loud  laughter.)  He  is  just  as  sober 
and  pious  here  in  church  and  in  this  community  as  he  can 
be,  but  let  him  go  on  a fishing  trip,  and  he’ll  carry  a quart 
of  liquor  for  every  day  he’s  going  to  be  out.  I like  a relig- 
ion that  keeps  me  as  good  off  of  my  knees  as  I am  on  my 
knees;  just  as  good  on  the  outside  as  I am  on  the  inside  ; 
just  as  good  in  New  York  as  I am  at  home;  just  as  good 
anywhere  and  everywhere  and  forever,  as  my  promises  and 
my  vows  demand  1 should  be.  I like  that  sort  of  Chris- 
tianity— a sober-minded  sort  that  regulates  all  my  life.  I 
like  that.  This  dead-level  sort,  this  straightforward  sort; 
I like  that  sort  of  a Christian. 

Sober-mindedness.  That’s  the  regulating  force  of  every 
good  man’s  life,  that  makes  him  step  along  in  an  even, 
smooth  way  toward  the  good  world.  Some  people  think 
Heaven  is  away  off  yonder,,  and  some  think  Hell  is  away 
down  yonder,  but  I want  to  tell  you  that  Heaven  is  on  a 
dead-level  with  every  good  man’s  heart,  and  I want  to  tell 
you  the  way  to  Heaven  is  a dead-level.  Christ  dag  down 
the  mountains,  and  filled  up  the  valleys,  and  the  way  to 
Heaven  is  a dead-level,  and  the  way  to  Hell  is  a dead-level, 
and  there  is  only  one  road  in  the  moral  universe,  and  one 
end  of  that  road  is  Hell,  and  the  other  end  of  the  road  is 
Heaven,  and  it  don’t  matter  who  you  are,  but  which  way  are 
you  going?  (Laughter.)  Don’t  you  see?  Soberly,  right- 
eously, a sober-minded  man. 

THE  REGULATING  FORCE  OF  LIFE. 

You  look  at  that  stationary  engine  out  yonder  at  the  saw- 
mill. You  see  little  governors  playing  around  over  the 
steam-chest,  and  you  see  there  that  saw  as  it  runs  into  that 
large  log — that  sixty-two-incli  circular  saw  runs  right  into 


58 


SAM  JONES'  SERMONS. 


the  log,  and  the  little  governors  let  down,  and  additional 
steam  is  thrown  against  the  piston-head,  and  I see  that  saw 
wade  right  along  through  the  log,  and  run  out  at  the  other 
end,  and  the  little  governors  lift  up,  and  let  off  the  steam, 
and  the  saw  runs  at  the  same  revolution  to  the  minute, 
whether  it  is  in  or  out.  There  is  the  Christian  man,  like 
Job.  Oh,  my,  he  was  a sober-minded  man.  In  prosperity, 
and  when  adversity  came,  and  the  last  dollar  was  swept 
away  from  him,  Job  run  in  and  out  that  log,  and  he  was 
running  the  same  revolutions  to  the  minute  when  he  Tun 
into  infirmity  and  disease  and  pain,  and  as  he  run  right 
through  and  came  out,  running  the  same  revolution  to  the 
minute,  and  he  said  “ I will  trust  him  though  he  slay  me,” 
and  when  they  placed  the  charge  against  his  character  that 
he  had  sinned  and  done  wrong,  he  went  right  along  through 
that,  and  came  out  on  the  other  side,  and  the  Lord  God  said 
to  him  : “ Job,  take  my  arm,  and  walk  with  me,  and  I will 
make  your  latter  days  more  prosperous  than  your  former 
days.” 

I like  a sober-minded  man — a man  who  will  do  the  same 
thing  all  the  time ; not  one  of  those  men  who  will  do  some 
thing  during  the  revival  meeting,  and  who  don’t  recollect 
that  he  did  anything  out  of  the  revival,  and  one  day  he  will 
shake  your  hands  and  another  day  he  will  hardly  know  you 
when  he  meets  you  on  the  street.  1 don’t  like  one  of  those 
persimmon-headed  sort  of  fellows:  I want  a fellow  who 
knows  you  when  he  meets  you,  everywhere,  and  will  do  the 
same  thing  everywhere,  and  under  all  circumstances. 

THE  DEMAND  FOR  DOWNRIGHT  HONESTY. 

Sober-minded!  A Christian  man  ought  to  be  sober- 
minded,  and  rest  on  this  one  promise — all  things  are  given 
for  good  to  them  that  love  God — sober-minded  as  to  our- 
*elves  and  righteous  toward  our  neighbors. 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


59 


I will  tell  you  if  there  is  anything  the  religion  demands 
of  a man,  it  is  that  he  be  downright  honest.  Honesty  ! As 
somebody  said,  “An  honest  [man  is  the  noblest  work  of 
God,”  and  that  is  the  grandest  utterance  outside  the  lid  of 
the  Bible. 

“ An  honest  man  is  the  noblest  work  of  God.”  And  when 
I say  an  honest  man,  I don’t  mean  a man  simply  that  pays, 
his  debts — some  of  us  ain’t  honest  enough  to  do  that.  But 
I have  known  men  that  would  walk  across  town  to  pay  a 
nickel  that  they  owed,  and  I never  saw  a man  that  would 
do  that,  that  I would  not  hide  my  pocket  book  from  at 
night.  One  of  those  fellows  that  are  so  scrupulous  he  is 
fixing  things  to  cheat  somebody.  (Laughter.)  I am  not 
talking  about  that  class. 

I’ll  tell  you  what  this  world  needs  right  now.  It  needs  a 
larger  course  of  downright  honesty;  that’s  it.  I will  tell 
37ou  what,  the  Church  of  God  will  never  take  this  world 
until  we  get  honest.  There  are  too  many  men  in  the 
Church  boarding  with  their  wives — there  are  that — agents 
for  their  wives.  I want  to  die  the  day  before  my  wife  ap- 
points me  her  agent.  (Laughter.)  Do  you  hear  that? 
(Laughter.)  A man  in  the  Church  of  God  and  a prominent 
character,  and  that  man  living  in  a $30,000  house,  and  riding 
around  in  a $1,200  turnout,  and  the  poor  widow  woman 
whose  money  he  has  is  walking  these  streets  with  scarcely 
bread  to  eat.  (Sensation.)  And  if  there  is  a Hell  at  all, 
that  man  will  go  there  as  certain  as  God  is  just.  (Great  ap- 
plause.) 

THE  BUSINESS  VALUE  OF  RELIGION. 

Honesty!  We  want  in  this  countrymen  in  the  Church 
of  God  who  will  do  what  they  say  they  will  do.  That’s  it. 
Why,  sir,  a man’s  Methodism  ain’t  worth  anything  to  him 


6o 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS, 


in  this  country,  and  a man’s  Baptism  and  liis  Presbyterian- 
ism ain’t  worth  anything  to  him.  You  go  down  to  a store 
to-morrow  and  want  a thousand  dollars’  worth  of  goods  on 
credit,  and  the  fellow  says,  “ Can  you  give  me  any  se- 
curity?” “No  ; I am  a Methodist.”  “ O,  Lord!  You 
cant’t  run  that  thing  on  me  here.”  (Great  laughter.)  And 
let  a,  Baptist  go  down  there  and  say,  “ I’m  a Baptist,  and 
I want  credit.”  “ Law,  me ! If  you  will  come  in  here  and 
let  me  show  yon  how  these  Baptists  have  gouged  me,  you 
would  not  play  yourself  as  a Baptist.”  (Laughter.)  And 
so  with  every  denomination.  And  I tell  you  here  to-night, 
the  Church  of  God  will  never  do  the  work  he  wants  her  to 
do  until  she  is  honest — honest  toward  God  and  honest  to- 
ward man.  1 want  to  see  the  day  come  when  all  the 
churches  in  the  world  will  have  the  character  in  commer- 
cial life  that  the  old  Hardshell  Church  has  in  Georgia. 
Down  in  Athens,  Ga.,  an  old  Hardshell  walked  in  one  day 
to  a store,  and  said  to  the  merchant : “ I want  a couple  of 
hundred  dollars’  worth  of  goods  this  year  on  credit.”  The 
merchant  looked  at  his  old  hat  and.  jean  pants,  and  he  con- 
cluded that  was  not  the  sort  of  a man  to  trust,  and  he  told 
him  he  would  not  give  him  the  goods.  The  fellow  turned 
and  walked  out,  and  the  merchant  asked  a clerk  in  the  store : 
“ Who  is  that  man  ? ” “ That’s  Mr.  So-and-So  ; he  belongs 

to  the  Hardshell  Church  up  here.”  The  merchant  went 
out  after  | him  and  said  : “ Friend,  come  back  here.  Are 
you  a Hardshell  ? ” He  said,  “ Yes.”  “Well,”  said  the 
merchant,  “you  can  have  all  you  want;  you  can  have  all  I have 
here  in  this  store  on  credit  for  as  long  time  as  you  need.” 
(Applause.)  And  down  in  Georgia  the  Hardsliells  will  turn 
a member  out  of  church  for  taking  the  homestead  exemp- 
tion or  going  into  bankruptcy  just  as  quick  as  they  would 
for  stealing — they  will  that.  (Laughter  and  applause.) 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


6l 


PAYING  ONE  HUNDRED  CENTS  ON  THE  DOLLAR. 

Honesty ! I like  that.  We  have  collecting  laws  all  over 
this  country,  and  we  have  ruined  our  people;  we  have  made 
our  people  dishonest  by  our  laws — that  is  the  truth  about  it. 
Our  people  are  made  dishonest  by  our  laws.  Our  law,  our 
Congress,  our  Legislature,  fixes  it  so  that  a man  can,  by  a 
turn  of  technicalities  in  law,  just  wipe  out  all  his  debts,  and 
he  can  compromise  with  his  creditors. 

Out  in  Waco,  Tex.,  last  year,  there  was  a merchant  there 
thrown  into  bankruptcy,  and  he  compromised  his  debts  at  a 
hundred  cents  in  the  dollar — just  think  about  that — and 
paid  it,  every  bit.  He  compromised  his  debts  at  a hundred 
cents  in  the  dollar  ! He  was  a fool,  wasn’t  he  ? He  was  a 
fool.  They  say  in  one  heathen  country  they  make  every 
holiday  a day  for  a general  hand  shaking  among  all  enemies, 
and  every  fellow  pays  every  dollar  he  owes  in  the  world. 
That’s  a grand  holiday  ain’t  it  ? They  are  heathens,  though, 
ain’t  they  ? (Laughter.)  They  must  be  heathens  if  they 
do  that  way.  (Laughter.)  Make  friends  with  all  my  ene- 
mies, and  pay  every  dollar  I owe  every  holiday  ! Nobody 
but  a heathen  would  do  that,  would  they  ? (Laughter.) 
Righteously  do  the  right  thing ; do  the  right  thing. 

And  I want  to  say  about  it,  that  those  bankrupt  and 
homestead  laws  have  been  the  curse  of  this  country  in  all 
ages  of  it.  I want  to  see  the  day  come — and  I beg  your 
pardon  for  the  expression — I want,  to  see  the  day  come 
when  you  can  sell  a man’s  shirt  off  of  his  back  to  pay  his 
debts.  I’d  rather  die  than  to  be  in  debt,  and  have  things 
that  other  people  ought  to  have.  That’s  the  way  I look 
at  it. 


62 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


THE  SPEAKER’S  EXPERIENCE. 

You  say,  “ Yes,  you  are  talking  mighty  big.”  Yes,  and 
I have  talked  little,  too,  I want  you  to  understand  that. 
The  devil  bankrupted  me  for  both  worlds,  and  when  God 
converted  my  soul  and  I was  called  into  the  ministry,  I was 
hundreds  of  dollars  in  debt,  and  I know  how  a man  feels;  I 
know  how  it  cows  a man;  and  I know  how  I have  gone  up 
with  $2.50  at  a time  to  pay  a debt  and  my  wife  had  one 
dress  and  I had  one  suit,  and  we  were  living  at  starvation 
rates,  and  my  wife  doing  her  own  ironing  and  her  own 
nursing,  and  I splitting  the  wood  and  working  and  saving 
every  nickel  I could  to  pay  my  debts,  and  in  spite  of  that  I 
have  heard  of  fellows  saying : “ If  that  fellow  Jones  would 
pay  his  debts  I could  have  more  confidence  in  him,”  and  if 
they  had  put  their  ears  to  this  side  (placing  his  hand  on  his 
head)  they  could  hear  the  blood  drip  ! drip  ! I paid  every 
cent,  thank  God  ! a hundred  cents  on  the  dollar,  and  I was 
just  as  good  a man  after  I paid  as  I was  before.  (Great 
applause.)  And  thank  God  that  a poor  man  can  be  an 
honest  man  ! Thank  God  that  is  true.  (Great  applause.) 

god’s  appreciation  of  honesty. 

I’ll  tell  you  the  sort  I find  in  my  Bible— ^where  Obadiah 
borrowed  $500  from  Ahab  and  died  before  the  money  was 
due.  After  his  death  Ahab  sued  the  widow  for  the  debt, 
and  levied  on  her  and  her  two  children  for  the  money. 
They  could  levy  on  children  in  those  days,  and  they  were  to 
be  sold  in  this  case  to  pay  the  debt.  The  mother  was  in 
distress,  and  she  hunted  up — I had  almost  said  a lawyer,  but 
she  never  went  within  a mile  of  one,  God  bless  you.  (Laugh- 
ter.) She  hunted  up  the  best  old  prophet  of  God  on  the 
face  of  the  earth.  She  stated  her  case  to  him  and  said : 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


63 


“ My  husband  died  owing  this  money  and  they  have  levied 
on  my  two  children  to  pay  this  debt.  What  must  I do? 55 
The  old  prophet  looked  at  her  and  said:  “ What  have  you 
in  your  house?”  The  poor  woman  replied,  trembling: 
“ Nothing  but  a pot  of  oil,  and  that  is  to  embalm  our  bodies 
with.”  The  prophet  never  said  a word  about  the  home- 
stead, but  he  said  : “You  go  and  sell  that  oil  and  pay  that 
debt.”  She  went  home  and  borrowed  vessels  and  drew 
enough  oil  out  of  the  pot  to  pay  the  old  debt,  and  she  had 
more  oil  left  afterwards  than  when  she  commenced  to  draw 
it.  That  was  God  Almighty  standing  by  an  honest  woman, 
don’t  you  see  ? I have  seen  it  repeated  again  and  again, 
and  I tell  you  that  God  Almighty  will  take  care  of  honest 
men,  if  he  has  to  put  the  angels  on  half  rations  for  twelve 
months.  (Laughter.) 

I was  once  appointed  to  certain  work  in  a certain  county 
in  a Georgia  circuit.  The  year  before  the  whole  country 
was  blighted  with  drouth.  The  people  had  not  made  a bale 
of  cotton  to  twenty  acres,  when  they  ought  to  have  made  a 
bale  to  every  two  acres.  Corn  was  not  a paying  crop,  and 
merchants  were  pressing  their  claims.  I commenced 
preaching  righteousness.  I said,  “ I know  your  soil  has 
been  parched  by  the  drouth,  I know  your  crops  are  fail- 
ures; I know"  that  you  are  poor,  but  ” I continued,  “ listen  at 
me.  If  the  sheriff  comes  on  you  and  takes  your  house  and 
your  stock,  and  your  all,  let  him  take  them,  and  then  walk  out 
with  your  wTife  and  children,  bareheaded  and  barefooted,  so 
that  you  can  say,  ‘ we  are  homeless  and  breadless,  but  my  in- 
tegrity is  as  unstained  as  the  character  of  God.’  ” ( Applause.) 

Oh,  for  an  unstained  character  ! That  is  what  we  want 
in  this  country.  An  honest  man.  I tell  you  there  are  too 
many  men  in  this  country  who  have  widows’  and  orphans’ 
legacies  in  their  pockets,  and  I am  sorry  to  say,  too  many 


64 


SAM  JONES'  SERMONS. 


of  that  sort  have  broken  into  the  churches  of  this  country, 
and  every  dollar  of  that  money  that  you  keep  in  your  pocket 
as  a preacher,  and  in  your  treasury  as  a church,  the  devil 
will  make  you  pay  it  back  (laughter)  with  compound  inter- 
est. He  well  knows  that  that  is  his  money,  and  he  does  not 
loan  his  money  without  interest,  and  big  interest  at  that 

BUSINESS  INTEGRITY. 

Righteously.  Righteous  men.  I like  righteous  men. 
Tom  Moore,  the  poet,  was  righteous  in  this  sense.  They 
asked  him  on  his  dying  pillow,  “ Are  there  any  of  your 
manuscripts  that  you  have  changed  or  altered  ? ” He  said 
“ No  ; I never  wrote  a line  in  my  life  that  I would  now 
wipe  out  with  my  little  finger.”  You  are  a merchant.  Can 
you  say  on  your  dying  pillow,  “ I never  performed  a deed 
I w'ould  not  wipe  out  with  my  little  finger  ?”  Samuel,  the 
prophet,  was  a righteous  man,  and  when  he  walked  out  to 
his  burial  place,  all  Israel  gathered  around  him,  and  the 
clear  voice  of  the  old  prophet  rang  out  and  he  asked  these 
questions:  “ Whom  have  I cheated?”  “Whom  have  I de- 
frauded?” “ Of  whom  have  I received  a bribe  of  money 
to  blind  my  eyes?”  And  all  Israel  echoed  back,  “No 
one.”  Oh,  that  was  a grand  victory. 

But  brethren,  the  man  who  does  not  recognize  his  obli- 
gations to  God  is  but  half  a man  at  best.  I have  my  rela- 
tions toward  my  family,  and  my  relations  toward  my  coun- 
try, and  my  relations  toward  my  God.  I will  meet  the 
demands  of  my  children  and  my  home.  I will  meet  the 
demands  of  my  country.  I will  meet  the  demands  of  the 
God  that  made  me  and  them.  I am  good  for  all  worlds. 
A godly  man  is  one  that  does  everything  with  reference  to 
the  great  eye  of  God  that  is  looking  down  upon  him;  a man 
that  is  godly  in  his  life  and  character,  and  that  does  right  to- 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


65 


ward  tlie  God  that  made  him.  Where  do  we  find  examples 
of  godly  men  ? St.  Paul,  the  author  of  this  text,  was  a godly 
man.  He  lived  for  God,  and  counted  all  things  as  lost  that 
he  might  please  God.  In  his  dying  moments  he  sat  in  his 
dark  dungeon  and  wrote  in  his  last  letter  to  Timothy  : 

The  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand. 

Oh,  what  a thought ! St.  Paul  meant  to  say  to  him  : “ I 
shall  have  a cold  supper  to-night  and  a cold  breakfast  in  the 
morning  ; I shall  sleep  on  a hard  bed  to-night,  but  I shall 
take  dinner  in  Heaven  to-morrow  with  God  and  the  an- 
gels.” He  talked  about  his  departure  as  a school  boy  talks 
of  leaving  school  for  home,  and  when  his  head  was  severed 
from  his  body  God  stooped  down,  picked  up  that  bloody 
head  and  placed  a crown  of  everlasting  life  upon  it.  He 
was  a godly  man  and  God  will  take  care  of  that  sort  of  man, 
living  or  dying. 

A NOBLE  ENDING. 

Just  such  a man  as  this  died  in  our  State  some  months 
ago,  and  when  his  large  family  of  Christian  boys  and  girls 
stood  around  him,  he  struggled  for  breath  in  the  last  ex- 
tremities of  life.  Just  as  his  moments  were  drawing  to  a 
close  he  seemed  restless  and  wanted  to  speak.  His  chil- 
dren’s attention  was  attracted  by  his  looks  and  they  said, 
“ Father,  is  there  any  request  you  wish  to  make?  If  so  tell 
, us  what  it  is.”  He  caught  his  breath  and  said,  “ Bring — ” 
but  breaking  down  he  could  not  utter  another  word.  His 
children  gathered  close  around  him  and  said,  “ Oh  father, 
do  not  die  without  telling  us  what  you  want.”  Again  he 
said,  “ Bring — ” and  could  not  utter  another  word.  The 
children  bent  over  him  and  said,  “Father,  do  not  die  with- 
out telling  us  what  you  want.”  Presently  his  system  re- 
laxed in  death,  and  his  lips  moved  freely  as  he  said : 

S 


66 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Bring  forth  the  royal  diadem, 

And  crown  him  Lord  of  all. 

Then  the  soul  swept  out  of  his  body  and  he  never 
breathed  another  breath.  God  help  us  to  live  righteously? 
soberly  and  godly  in  this  world,  and  to  look  forward  with 
blessed  hope  to  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God 
and  our  Savior,  Jesus  Christ. 

At  times  within  the  past  ten  years  I have  thought  of  go- 
ing hack  to  the  practice  of  lawy  and  of  accumulating  a for- 
tune, that  my  family  might  be  provided  for,  and  of  preach- 
ing the  gospel  in  after  life;  but  with  the  blessed  hope  of 
God  before  me  I continued  right  on.  My  eyes  were  on 
something  better,  grander  and  nobler.  When  kind  friends 
in  Nashville  said : “ Here  is  a $10,000  home  and  thousands 
in  bonds  if  you  will  make  your  home  in  our  midst,55  I re- 
plied: “No,  in  our  own  quiet  little  cottage  my  wife  and 
children  and  myself'  love  God  and  are  striving  to  get  to 
Heaven.  Excuse  me,  I love  you  just  as  much  as  if  I ac- 
cepted it.55  Then  my  wife  said  to  me,  “Husband,  I am 
prouder  of  you  for  that  than  for  any  act  in  your  history.55 

HIGHER  AIMS. 

And  I want  to  say  to  this  congregation  that  I am  getting 
higher  and  higher.  I sympathize  a good  deal  with  the  ea- 
glet caged  up  yonder.  Now  a kind  friend,  pitying  its  droop- 
ing condition,  opens  the  cage  door  and  lets  it  out.  I see  it 
leave  its  cage  and  turn  its  eye  to  the  sun  and  to  the  moun- 
tain-tops. Its  ruffled  feathers  begin  to  smooth  down  and  it 
raises  its  wings  and  shakes  them  for  a moment.  I see  it  fly 
up  into  the  air  and  poise  itself  on  its  wings.  It  looks  back 
toward  the  cage  and  utters  a scream,  as  much  as  to  say, 
“Farewell  cage;  farewell  imprisonment  and  weary  hours!55 
I see  it  fly  higher  and  higher,  until  at  last  it  poises  on  its 
wings  just  in  sight  and  I hear  it  scream  again.  It  seems  to 


THE  VIRTUE  OF  HONESTY. 


67 


say,  “ Farewell  eartli  and  imprisonment  and  cage  and  dreary 
days.55  Higher  and  higher  it  goes,  poises  itself,  flies  off  and 
alights  on  the  mountain  top,  free  as  air.  Brethren,  the  soul 
of  man,  that  has  been  ruffled  by  ten  thousand  cares,  some 
of  these  days  will  look  toward  that  blessed  hope  of  God, 
plume  its  wings  and  fly  upward.  And  the  higher  we  go, 
earth  shall  hear  our  voices,  growung  the  fainter,  saying, 
“ Farewell  cares,  imprisonment  and  earth!”  Higher  and 
higher  we  shall  go  until  at  last  we  fly  off  in  a bee-line  for 
the  other  world.  We  shall  go  up  until  there  is  nothing  in 
the  way.  That  is  what  a bee-line  means.  The  bee,  after 
passing  from  flower  to  flower  and  filling  its  little  hon^y  cell, 
begins  to  circle  up  and  up  and  up,  until  it  gets  above  the 
highest  tree  top.  Then  it  strikes  a bee-line  for  its  home. 
Brethren,  let  us  get  above  worldly  care  and  sin  and  tempta- 
tion, and  let  us  strike  a bee-line  for  that  home  beyond  where 
sin  and  suffering  are  felt  no  more.  May  God  bless  you  all, 
and  may  you  ponder  over  these  words  in  the  spirit  in  which 
they  have  been  uttered.  If  you  do  not  like  anything  that 
has  been  said,  and  if  you  come  and  apologize,  I will  forgive 
you,  for  I never  bear  malice  to  anybody  in  this  world. 
(Laughter.) 


68 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


Now  while  Paul  waited  for  them  at  Athens  his  spirit  was  stirred  in 
him  when  he  saw  the  city  wholly  given  to  idolatry. — Acts  xvii,  16. 

The  preacher  explained  that  by  u them55  was  meant  Silas 
and  Timothy,  co-workers  with  Paul,  who  were  to  follow 
and  accompany  him  on  his  missionary  tour,  and  said : 

I believe  Saul  of  Tarsus  was  the  greatest  man  in  this 
world’s  history.  When  I measure  his  head  I look  and  ad- 
mire. When  I measure  his  heart  I am  at  a loss  to  know 
which  is  the  greater,  his  head  or  his  heart.  It  takes  both 
head  and  heart  to  make  a true  man.  If  there  was  a leading 
characteristic  in  the  life  of  this  great  man  it  was  his  ster- 
ling integrity,  his  downright  honesty.  There  was  never 
but  one  trouble  in  the  mind  of  this  great  man,  and  that 
was  touching  the  divinity  of  Christ.  It  took  the  biggest 
guns  of  Heaven  to  arouse  and  convince  him,  but  when  once 
convinced  he  was  loyal  forever.  I believe  I am  ready  to  say 
here  in  my  place  that  St.  Paul  being  an  honest  man,  God 
put  him  straight  once,  and  he  never  gave  God  a moment’s 
trouble  after  that  until  God  said  : “It  is  enough;  come  up 
higher.”  St.  Paul  was  such  a man  as  I would  imitate.  I 
admire  his  character,  true,  noble,  courageous,  honest.  And 
now  this  man,  waiting  for  Ills  companions  at  Athens,  sees 
the  whole  city  given  to  idolatry. 

The  charge  that  God  brought  against  his  ancient  people 
was  this  : “ My  people  will  not  consider.”  The  etymolog- 
ical definition  of  that  work  is  u to  look  at  a thing  until  you 
see  it.” 

Here  the  speaker  illustrated  the  words  “ glance”  and 
“ consider”  by  reference  to  the  study  of  a landscape  picture. 
A glance  would  take  in  the  main  features,  such  as  the 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


69 


mountain  scenery,  the  stream  and  the  hamlet.  A consid- 
eration or  careful  examination  would  show  the  foliage  of 
the  mountain  trees,  the  road  leading  to  the  mansion,  the 
cattle  grazing  on  the  hill  slopes,  and  so  on.  There  was 
quite  a difference  between  glancing  at  an  object  and  consid- 
ering it.  St.  Paul  had  considered  the  state  of  affairs  in 
Athens  and  his  spirit  was  stirred  within  him  when  he  saw 
how  the  whole  city  was  given  to  idolatry. 

ONE  OF  TWO  THINGS. 

Now,  said  Mr.  Jones,  I want  to  say:  One  of  two  things 
is  true  of  St.  Louis  to-night.  Either  the  eyes  of  Christian 
people  are  closed  to  the  fact,  or  else  the  facts  are  falsehoods ; 
one  or  the  other.  You  can  take  whichever  horn  of  the 
dilemma  you  please.  I can  take  the  daily  papers  of  St. 
Louis  and  read  your  local  columns,  and  see,  without  getting 
at  the  Bible,  that  St.  Louis  is  wrong ; that  there  is  some- 
thing radically  wrong  about  this  city;  there  are  too  many 
debauched  characters,  too  many  suicides,  too  many  murders, 
too  many  that  are  drifting  daily  to  destruction  and  ruin. 
The  fact  is,  a man  don’t  need  a Bible  to  see  this  world  is  all 
wrong;  all  you  need  to  do  is  just  to  read  your  morning  and 
afternoon  papers,  and  then  walk  this  street  with  your  eyes 
open,  and  if  you  do  that  it  will  not  be  one  week  from  to- 
day until  you  look  on  with  horror  that  is  indescribable. 

Now,  let  me  ask  each  of  you:  Did  you  ever  look  at 
your  heart  until  you  saw  it?  I grant  you  that  you  have 
glanced  at  it  a thousand  times,  but  did  you  ever  kneel  down 
and  pray  for  light  and  look  and  look  and  look  until  you  saw^ 
your  heart?  My  Bible  teaches  me  that: 

The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked. 

My  Bible  teaches  me : 

Keep  your  heart  with  all  diligence,  for  out  of  it  come  the  issues  of  life 
and  death. 


70 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


My  Bible  teaches  me : 

Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God. 

DIFFERENT  KINDS  OF  HEARTS. 

I once  saw  a pictorial  representation  of  the  human  heart. 
It  represented  the  sinner’s  heart ; full  of  all  kinds  of  wild 
beasts,  reptiles  and  unclean  birds — a hideous  sight  to  look 
upon.  Then  there  was  the  heart  under  conviction  of  sin, 
with  the  heads  of  all  these  animals  turned  outward,  as  if 
they  were  getting  ready  to  leave.  Then  I saw  the  heart 
converted,  cleansed,  and  it  was  represented  with  a shining 
light  and  a cross.  I saw  also  the  backslider’s  heart,  with 
the  heads  of  all  the  beasts  and  reptiles  as  if  they  had  turned 
backward,  and  I saw  the  * apostate’s  heart — a Methodist 
heart — as  it  was  filled  to  overflowing  with  all  manner  of 
horrid  things,  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  was  worse  than 
the  first. 

Oh,  the  heart!  the  heart!  This  world  reminds  me,  in 
some  of  its  phases,  of  the  man  down  in  the  spring  branch 
trying  to  clear  the  water,  so  he  could  get  a clear  drink.  He 
was  doing  all  he  could  to  filter  and  clear  the  water  when 
some  friend  called  out  to  him : “ Stranger,  come  up  a little 

higher  and  run  that  hog  out  of  that  spring,  and  it  will  clear 
itself.”  Ho  trouble  then.  And  I declare  to  you  to-night, 
the  hardest  job  man  ever  undertook  in  this  world  is  to  lift 
up  your  life  with  an  unclean  heart. 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  a clean  life  outside  of  a clean 
heart.  I know  we  have  what  we  call  moral  men,  but  I 
don’t  believe  you  can  separate  morals  and  Christianity.  In 
fact,  the  morals  of  this  world  are  the  paraphernalia  of 
Christianity.  The  man  who  is  moral  in  the  sense  that  he 
will  pay  his  debts  and  tell  the  truth,  and  that  sort  of  things 
may  be  a villain  at  heart.  Our  Savior  looked  at  the  most 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


7 1 


moral  men  this  world  ever  saw,  and  said:  u You  white- 
washed rascals,  you ! ” That  is  our  version.  His  version 
was : “ Ye  whited  sepulchers ! 55  I had  rather  be  called  the 

former. 

TO  NON-PROFESSORS. 

And  I want  to  say  to  you  men  that  don’t  profess  to  be 
Christians,  I don’t  bring  a railing  charge  against  you.  In 
the  life  of  Jesus  Christ  not  a single  harsh  word  ever  escaped 
His  lips  toward  a sinner.  When  Jesus  would  talk  with  a sin- 
ner, He  would  fetch  up  the  parable  of  the  lost  sheep,  where 
the  man  left  the  ninety  and  nine  safe  in  the  fold  and  fol- 
lowed the  poor,  wandering  sheep,  and  when  he  found  it  he 
didn’t  take  a club  and  beat  it  back  home,  but  picked  up  the 
poor,  tired,  hungry  sheep  and  laid  it  on  his  shoulder  and 
brought  it  back  to  the  fold.  But  I tell  you  one  thing.  The 
Lord  J esus  himself  never  lost  a chance  to  pour  hot  shot  and 
grape  and  canister  into  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  they 
are  the  gentlemen  I am  after,  begging  your  pardon.  Now, 
if  the  sinners  about  this  town  want  to  go  to  theaters,  and 
want  to  dance  and  want  to  play  cards  and  want  to  curse  and 
want  to  live  licentious  lives,  I say,  “ Go  it.  Go  it  boys ; ” 
but  if  you  members  of  the  church  want  to  do  it,  I will  brand 
you  as  hypocrites  until  you  renounce  your  faith  in  Christ 
and  have  your  name  taken  off  the  church  books.  I’ve  got 
a right  to  say  a few  things  along  there,  and  neither  this 
world,  nor  the  flesh,  nor  the  devil,  will  interpose  any  ob- 
jection. Don’t  anybody  say  I interposed  an  objection  to 
any  man  who  don’t  profess  to  be  a Christian,  or  placed  any 
obstacle  in  the  way  of  his  doing  just  as  he  pleases.  We 
will  attend  to  your  case  later,  but  now  I want  to  look  in  the 
faces  of  men  who  have  made  their  vows  and  their  promises 
to  God,  and  who  have  sworn  eternal  allegiance  to  Jesus 


72 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Christ,  and  their  lives  are  a shame  to  the  Gospel  and  a dis- 
grace to  the  character  they  profess.  That’s  it.  (Apydause.) 

A STORY  OF  MOODY. 

Now,  let  us  look  at  our  hearts.  I believe  this  incident, 
related  of  Mr.  Moody,  will  illustrate  tlmpoint  I am  on.  On 
one  occasion,  wdien  he  had  invited  penitents  to  the  altar, 
there  came  forward  a great  many,  and  he  walked  back  two 
or  three  pews  to  where  two  Christian  ladies  were  sitting, 
and  he  said,  “My  sisters,  will  you  walk  forward  and  talk  to 
those  penitents?”  They  looked  up  at  him  and  said,  “No, 
sir,  Mr.  Moody;  we  are  praying  for  you.”  “Praying  for 
me?”  he  said.  “Am  I not  trying  to  live  right  and  get 
to  Heaven?”  “Yes,  Mr.  Moody;  but  we  are  praying  that 
you  may  have  a clean  heart.”  And  he  said  conviction  en- 
tered his  spirit  in  a moment,  and  he  dismissed  the  services 
later  and  went  home  and  fell  down  on  his  knees  and  prayed, 
“Lord  God,  show  me  my  heart.  Let  me  see  it  as  it  is.” 
And  he  said,  “ When  the  light  of  Heaven  poured  in  upon 
my  heart  I saw  it  was  full  of  Moody,  and  full  of  selfishness, 
and  full  of  worldly  pride;  and  then  I said,  ‘Lord  God,  help 
me  to 

“ ‘Cast  every  idol  out 
That  dares  to  rival  thee.’” 

“ And,”  said  he,  “ the  Lord  came  and  washed  out  all  un- 
righteousness from  my  heart,  and  from  that  day  until  now 
I have  never  preached  a sermon  that  didn’t  win  souls  to 
Christ.”  And  I declare  to  you,  if  Jesus  had  in  this  town 
an  army  of  pure  blood-washed  hearts  we  could  win  St. 
Louis  to  Christ.  And  never,  never,  never  will  we  accom- 
plish the  work  and  bring  the  world  to  Christ  until  we,  who 
profess  Christ,  arouse  ourselves  and  wake  up  and  shake  the 
devil’s  fleas  off  ourselves  and  get  to  be  decent. 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


73 


HYPOCRITES  AND  HUMBUGS. 

I can  stand  anything  Letter  than  I can  a hypocrite. 
I always  did  have  a hatred  for  shams  and  humbugs 
and  cheats,  and  of  all  the  humbugs  that  ever  cursed 
the  universe,  I reckon  the  religious  humbug  is  the 
humbuggest.  (Laughter.)  You  remember  how  the  stu- 
dents played  a joke  once  on  the  professor — at  Prince- 
ton, I believe  it  was.  He  was  one  of  these  old  bug- 
ologists,  and  I reckon  he  had  specimens  of  all  the  bugs  in 
the  world  in  his  frames  and  boxes.  And  the  mischievous 
boys  got  the  legs  of  one  bug  and  the  body  of  another  and 
the  head  and  wings  of  others  and  put  them' together  like 
nature  had  formed  them,  and  then  they  laid  it  on  the  old 
professor’s  table,  and  walked  in  and  ask  him  what  kind  of  a 
bug  iha't  was,  and  he  said,  u Gentlemen  that  is  a humbug.” 
(Laughter.)  And  I tell  you  when  a fellow  gets  a little 
Methodism  in  him,  and  a little  of  theaters,  and  a little  card 
playing,  and  a little  of  most  everything,  and  is  made  up  out 
of  a hundred  different  sort  of  things,  then  he  is  a first-class 
humbug  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  (Laughter.)  He  is 
just  good  anywhere. 

Oh,  my  heart ! With  the  heart  right,  with  the  fountain 
clear,  the  stream  will  be  clear.  With  a good  tree  the  fruit 
will  be  good.  And  I declare  to  you  to-night  that  the  hard- 
est work  a man  ever  tried  to  do  is  to  be  a Christian  without 
religion ; to  be  a good  man  with  a bad  heart. 

Why  there  are  just  scores  sitting  in  front  of  me  to-night 
that  if  it  were  literally  true  that  we  had  wild  beasts  and 
serpents  and  other  venomous  things  in  bodily  form  in  our 
hearts,  as  they  are  typically  there,  I would  hate  to  be  close 
round  some  of  you,  for  fear  I might  get  bit  before  I could 
get  out  of  the  way.  (Laughter.)  Oh,  God,  give  us  clear 
hearts  and  clear  hands. 


4 


74  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

CONCERNING  TONGUES. 

And  then  I will  say,  to  be  practical  all  along  the  line,  did 
yon  ever  look  at  your  tongue  until  you  saw  it?  Oh, 
these  tongues  of  ours  ! These  tongues  of  ours  ! We  Method- 
ists pour  the  water  on,  and  the  Presbyterians  sprinkle  it 
on  and  the  Baptists  put  us  clean  under,  but  I don’t  care 
whether  you  sprinkle,  or  pour,  or  immerse,  the  tongue 
comes  out  as  dry  as  powder.  Did  you  ever  see  a baptized 
tongue?  (Laughter.)  Say,  did  you?  (Laughter.)  Did 
you  ever  see  a tongue  that  belongs  to  the  Church?  You 
will  generally  find  the  tongue  among  man’s  reserved  rights. 
(Laughter.)  There  come  in  some  reservations,  and  always 
where  there  is  a reservation  the  tongue  is  retained.  The 
tongue!  The  tongue!  The  tongue!  P ambus,  one  of  the 
middle-age  saints,  went  to  his  neighbor  with  a Bible  in  his 
hand  and  told  him  u I want  you  to  read  me  a verse  of  Scrip- 
ture every  day.  I can’t  read,  and  I want  you  to  read  to 
me.”  So  the  neighbor  opened  the  Bible  and  read  these 
words : 

I will  take  heed  to  my  ways  that  I sin  not  with  my  tongue. 

Phinbus  took  the  book  out  of  his  hand  and  walked  back 
home,  and  about  a week  after  that  the  neighbor  met  him, 
and  he  said:  “ Pambus,  I thought  you  were  to  come  back 
and  let  me  read  you  a passage  of  Scripture  every  day?  ” and 
Pambus  said,  “ Do  you  recollect  that  verse  you  read  to  me 
the  other  day?  ” “ No,” said  the  neighbor.  “Well,”  said 

Pambus,  “ I will  quote  it: 

‘ I will  take  heed  to  my  ways  that  I sin  not  with  my  tongue.’ 

“ And,”  he  said,  “ I never  intend  to  learn  another  pas- 
sage of  Scripture  until  I learn  to  live  that  one.”  Oh,  me  ! 
If  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  this  house  to-night  would 
go  away  from  here  determined  to  live  that  passage  of 
Scripture  ! # 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL.  75 

I said,  I will  take  heed  to  my  ways  that  I sin  not  with  my  tongue.  I 
will  keep  my  tongue  from  evil  and  my  lips  from  speaking  guile. 

Oh,  me  ! Shakspeare  told  a great  truth  when  he  said : 

He  that  steals  my  purse  steals  trash, 

But  he  that  filcheth  from  me  my  good  name 
Takes  that  which  not  enricheth  him, 

But  makes  me  poor  indeed. 

VIOLATORS  OF  CHARACTER. 

These  violators  of  character — I will  venture  the  asser- 
tion there  are  many,  many,  many  here  to-night — if  every 
word  you  said  about  people  in  this  house  was  posted  up  there 
in  legible  words,  here  to-night,  you  would  immediately 
leave  this  house  and  never  be  seen  in  public  again.  (Laugh- 
ter.) u¥e  ain’t  going  anywhere  where  they  put  up  every- 
thing we  say  for  folks  to  look  at.”  Now,  I look  at  my 
tongue  until  I see  it.  There  is  many  a man  that  in  other 
things  may  do  well,  that  will  at  last  lie  down  in  Hell  for- 
ever, and  say  : “ I am  conscious  I am  tongue-damned.  I 

would  have  gone  to  Heaven  if  I hadn’t  got  a tongue.” 

My  tongue  ! And  I say  to  you*  to-night  the  best  thing  we 
can  do  with  our  tongues  is  to  speak  well  and  to  speak  kindly 
of  all  men.  I dare  assert  here  in  my  place  to-night,  when 
you  take  me  from  this  sacred  stand  that  I occupy  to-night, 
I defy  you  to  put  your  finger  on  a word  of  mine  against  the 
character  or  reputation  of  anybody.  But  I am  not  talking 
for  myself  up  here.  Understand  that.  Once  in  Jerusalem 
a great  crowd — it  was  1,800  years  and  more  ago,  as  the 
legend  goes,  or  the  allegory — a great  crowd  was  gathered 
in  Jerusalem,  and  they  were  gathered  around  a dead  dog, 
and  they  stood  and  looked,  and  one  of  them  said  : “ That 
is  the  ugliest  dog  I ever  saw.”  Another  said,  u Oh,  he  is 
not  only  the  ugliest  dog  I ever  saw,  but  I don’t  believe  his 
old  hide  is  worth  taking  off  of  him.”  Another  said,  “ Just 


;6 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


look  how  crooked  liis  legs  are.”  And  so  they  criticised  the 
poor  dog.  And  directly  one  spoke  up  and  said,  “Ain’t 
those  the  prettiest,  pearly  white  teeth  you  ever  looked  at?” 
And  they  walked  off  and  said,  “ That  must  have  been  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  that  could  have  found  something  good  to  say 
about  a dead  dog.”  Oh,  me ! I like  those  people  that 
always  like  to  see  something  kind  in  people  in  their  ways 
and  wTalks  of  life. 

WATCHING  one’s  FOOTSTEPS. 

And  then,  I ask  you  again,  did  you  ever  look  at  your  feet 
until  you  see  them  ? There  is  a good  deal  in  that.  (Laugh- 
ter.) 

Thy  word  is  a lamp  unto  my  feet  and  a light  unto  my  path. 

Oh,  Lord  God  ! I would  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  Him 
who  led  the  way  to  Heaven.  There  is  no  circumspect  Chris- 
tian who  does  not  see  to  it  that  his  feet  are  kept  in  the  nar- 
row way  that  leads  from  earth  to  Heaven.  A Methodist,  a 
Baptist,  a Presbyterian,  a Catholic  in  a ball-room  ! Their 
feet,  that  they  have  pledged  should  follow  in  the  footsteps 
of  Christ,  are  there  cutting  the  pigeon-wing  to  music! 
(Laughter.)  Now  what  do  you  think  of  that  ? 

And  I hear  this  expression:  They  say,  “Well,*  our 
church  don’t  object  to  it.”  Now  I would  say  a very  strong 
thing  here — and  I hope  you  will  take  it  in  the  very  spirit 
in  which  I say  it,  for  I never  said  a kinder  thing  or  a harder 
thing  than  that — you  never,  you  never  shall  hear  a truer 
thing.  Whenever  a Presbyterian,  or  a Methodist,  or  a Bap- 
tist, or  a Christian,  or  a Congregationalist,  or  a Catholic 
says  that  their  church  don’t  object  to  dancing  and  theaters, 
and  all  such  things  as  that,  they  could  not  tell  a bigger  lie  if 
they  wmuld  try  in  a hundred  years ! Thank  God,  there  is 
not  a church  named  after  Christ  on  earth  that  has  not  thun- 
dered out  after  these  things  with  all  the  power  they  have  got. 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


77 


“Our  church  don’t  object!  ” Well,  now,  the  Episcopal 
Church  being  a church  in  authority — how  they  did  thunder 
against  these  worldly  amusements.  That  little  church  you 
belong  to  may  not.  That  rotten  little  thing  ! I would  not 
stay  in  it  long  enough  to  get  my  hat  if  it  didn’t.  (Laughter.) 

A PLUCKY  METHODIST  LADY. 

I was  sitting  in  a train  some  time  ago  and  the  train  rolled 
up  to  the  station,  and  just  up  on  the  platform,  near  by, 
were  three  ladies.  One  of  the  ladies  said  to  the  other  : 
“ Are  you  going  to  the  ball  to-night  ? ” The  other  lady 
said,  “ I ain’t  going.”  “ But,”  she  said,  “ I forgot;  you  are 
a Methodist,  and  you  don’t  go  to  such  places.  I would  not 
be  a Methodist.  I want  to  enjoy  myself.”  The  other  said, 
“ Yes,  I am  a Methodist,  and,  thank  God!  I don’t  want  to 
go  to  such  places.”  “ Oh,”  said  the  other  one,  “ I would 
not  be  a Methodist,”  and  the  train  rolled  off,  and  I felt  like 
jumping  on  the  top  of  that  train  myself  and  hollering, 
“ Hurrah  for  Methodism ! ” (Laughter.)  And  whenever  she 
goes  into  copartnership  with  ball  rooms  and  with  all  of  the 
worldly  amusements  that  embarrass  the  Christian  and  paralyze 
his  power — whenever  the  Methodist  Church  goes  into  co- 
partnership with  these  things,  I will  sever  my  connection 
with  her  forever.  And  I love  her  and  honor  her  to-dav 
because  she  has  stood  like  a bulwark  against  these  things, 
and  denounced  them  from  first  to  last. 

One  of  the  honored  preachers  of  this  town,  a man  whose 
good  opinion  I value  highly,  one  of  the  noblest,  truest 
ministers  of  this  town,  said  to  me  : “ I declare  to  you,  our 

churches  are  little  more  than  a graveyard.  We  have  been 
killed  and  almost  buried  by  this  tide  of  worldliness  that  has 
swept  over  our  homes  year  after  year.”  And  that  is  the 
truth.  And  I can  read  a ten-page  letter  that  I got  from  a 


78 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


citizen  of  St.  Louis  to-day,  and  turn  every  face  in  this  house 
as  pale  as  death.  That  mall  wrote  like  he  knew  what  he 
was  talking  about.  There  is  many  a mother  at  12  o’clock 
at  night  in  this  town  that  can  sing  with  the  .blood  trickling 
in  her  heart, 

Oh,  where  is  my  wandering  boy  to-night? 

He  was  once  as  pure  as  the  driven  snow. 

REMOVING  THE  CARCASSES. 

And  oh,  why,  why,  why  wrould  I take  this  carcass,  and  that 
carcass,  and  the  other  carcass  that  are  so  offensive  ? Why 
would  I bring  them  out  before  this  congregation?  Nothing, 
nothing,  nothing'would  make  me  do  it  but  to  get  you  to  take 
those  carcasses  that  are  despoiling  the  very  odors  of  your 
city,  and  bury  them  out  of  sight  forever.  That  is  it.  You 
all  have  spent  two  or  three  nights  looking  at  me.  God  help 
you  to  look  at  yourselves  awhile.  (Laughter  and  applause.) 
And  you  will  think  I am  a beauty  before  you  get  through. 
(Laughter  and  applause.)  I look  at  myself  from  head  to 
foot — my  hands,  my  heart,  my  feet,  my  tongue.  I look  at 
my  ways  and  walks  and  character  in  this  community.  Did 
you  ever  look  at  yourself  as  a member  of  the  church  ? Did 
you  ever  wake  up  some  morning  and  shut  your  eyes  and  lay 
there  and  say,  “ Well,  suppose  every  member  of  the  church 
in  town  was  just  like  me,  what  sort  of  a church  would  we 
have  in  this  town  ? Suppose  every  member  of  the  church 
in  town  prayed  as  little  as  I pray,  what  sort  of  a church  would 
we  have  ? Suppose  every  member  of  the  church  in  town 
paid  as  little  as  I pay,  how  long  before  the  whole  thing 
would  be  sold  out  by  the  sheriff  ? 55 

Oh,  my  brother  ! it  is  well  enough,  now  and  then,  for  a 
follow  to  get  a square,  honest  look  at  himself.  What  sort 
of  a Methodist  are  you?  There  is  a man  that  has  promised 
to  renounce  the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil,  and  the  vain 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


79 


pomp  and  the  glory  of  this  world,  and  lie  lias  promised  on 
oath,  before  God  and  man,  not  to  follow  or  be  led  by  them. 
What  is  your  life  ? There  is  that  Presbyterian,  consecrated 
to  God  by  the  most  solemn  ceremony  that  heaven  ever 
listened  at.  Now,  what  is  your  character?  There  is  the 
Episcopalian;  with  the  imposing  hands  of  the  clergy  laid 
upon  his  head,  and  with  a ceremony  as  solemn  as  eternity, 
he  was  dedicated  in  the  church  to  God  last  night,  and  to- 
night he  is  in  the  biggest  ball  in  town,  dancing  his  way  to 
Hell.  c (Sensation.) 

SALVATION  DURING  LENT. 

And  no  longer  than  this  very  year,  in  one  of  the  cities  of 
the  South,  one  gentleman  told  me — said  he  : “ I saw  the 
Episcopal  clergyman  lay  his  hand  on  the  heads  of  a class  of 
twenty  one  night,  and,”  he  said,  “ the  next  night  eighteen 
out  of  that  twenty  were  at  a magnificent  ball.”  (Laughter.) 
Now,  you  say  : “ I wouldn’t  have  done  that ; I would  have 
waited  a week.”  Well,  if  a fellow  is  going  to  do  it  at  all, 
better  get  right  at  it.  Don’t  you  think  that’s  so  ? (Laugh- 
ter.) How  long  ought  a fellow  to  wait  after  he  joins  the 
church  before  he  goes  to  his  devilment  ? Now,  that’s  it. 
(Laughter.) 

I wish  I could  get  all  the  Methodists  and  Baptists  and 
Presbyterians  in  this  city,  and  all  other  churches,  to  live 
just  like  they  promised  to  live.  I wish  I could  get  all  the 
Episcopalians  in  town  to  be  as  good  out  of  Lent  as  they  are 
in  Lent.  That  would  be  good,  wouldn’t  it  ? And  I never 
could  see  why  a fellow  ought  not  to  be  as  good  one  time  as 
another.  Did  you  ? I never  could.  And  I’m  going  to  be 
just  as  good  the  year  round  as  any  Episcopalian  in  this 
town  is  during  Lent.  I reckon  they  all  hope  to  die  in  Lent. 
If  a heap  of  them  die  out  of  Lent,  the  devil  will  get  them 


8o 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


in  my  judgment.  (Laughter.)  In  a great  many  places 
they  dance  Lent  in,  and  they  dance  it  out.  Like  the  Irish- 
man talking  about  holidays  in  America — said  he  : “ Instead 
of  hanging  our  heads  and  sorrowing  over  the  crucifixion  of 
our  Savior,  we  Americans  fire  it  in  and  fire  it  out.  (Laugh- 
ter.) 

FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 

Now,  I don’t  pick  out  any  denominations,  and  say  any- 
thing about  one  denomination  that  I would  not  say,  about 
another.  There  is  no  denominationalism  in  this.  I have 
no  purpose  and  no  desire  in  my  heart  to  say  one  thing 
about  one  denomination  that  I would  not  say  against  another. 
That  is  true.  I am  just  talking  true  things,  and  any  night 
you  come  here  if  you  don’t  like  the  wray  this  is  rattled  off, 
you  can  rack  out  of  here  just  the  minute  you  please. 
(Laughter  and  applause.)  For  I propose,  God  being  my 
helper,  to  speak  of  the  truth  as  I see  it,  and  I don’t  care 
what  man  or  devil  or  cities  or  earth  or  hell  may  say,  I am 
going  to  preach,  while  I do  preach,  what  I believe  to  be  the 
truth.  (Applause.) 

And  I wTill  tell  you,  Christian  people,  if  you  think  the 
devil  is  going  to  surrender  any  ground  in  this  town  until 
every  inch  is  covered  with  blood,  you  do  not  know  the 
devil  as  well  as  I do.  I will  tell  you  that.  (Laughter.)  I 
have  been  fighting  His  Majesty  several  years,  and  I declare 
to  you  that  he  is  always  ready  for  a fight.  He  has  pos- 
sessed nearly  two  thirds  of  this  city  for  nearly  forty  years, 
and  if  you  think  he  is  going  to  make  a voluntary  surrender 
of  his  territory,  you  do  not  know  him.  He  is  going  to 
fight  and  fight,  and  every  child  he  has  got  is  going  to  help 
him;  you  can  put  that  down.  And  I tell  you  there  is 
another  thing ; there  is  a heap  of  members  of  the  church 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


8l 


going  to  help  him,  too.  They  will  that.  Some  places  the 
devil  goes  to  he  never  has  anything  to  do  himself.  He 
puts  his  hands  in  his  pockets  and  goes  round  and  gets  mem 
bers  of  the  church  to  run  his  devilment  for  him.  (Laugh- 
ter.) They  do  his  work  cheaper  for  him  than  any  other 
class.  He  don’t  have  to  pay  them,  and  they  board  them- 
selves. In  some  towns  the  leading  ball-room  dude  is  a 
member  of  the  church — the  fellow  that  gets  them  all  up 
and  runs  the  thing.  (Laughter.) 

PARENTAL  RESPONSIBILITY. 

I look  at  myself  as  a member  of  the  church.  Oh  me, 
brother  ! when  you  see  yourself  as  a member  of  the  church, 
as  a professor  of  religion,  it  will  do  you  good.  I will  ask 
you  again,  did  you  ever  look  at  yourself  as  a father?  Oh, 
me!  how  close  you  get  to  a man’s  heart  when  you  talk  to 
him  of  his  family.  Brother  and  sister,  did  you  ever  have 
your  innocent  child  sit  on  your  lap,  put  its  little  arms  round 
your  neck  and  imprint  the  kiss  of  innocence  on  your  cheek? 
Have  you  ever  looked  on  your  lovely  children  lying  in  their 
bed  and  said : “Of  all  children  God  ever  gave,  my  children 
have  the  purest  and  best  of  fathers.”  You  can  go  home  to- 
night and  wake  up  your  little  Willie.  Get  him  quite  awake, 
and  ask  him  “Who  is  the  best  man  in  St.  Louis?”  He  will 
answer,  “Why,  you,  papa.”  Ask  him,  “who  would  you 
rather  be  most  like?”  and  he  will  reply,  “why,  you,  papa.” 
Ask  him  who  is  the  best  man  in  the  world  and  he  will  say, 
“why,  you,  papa.”  He  ain’t  got  no  sense.  (Loud  laughter.) 
And  that  is  why  we  curse,  and  damn  and  ruin  our  children. 
They  can  see  no  harm  in  us  and  just  as  we  do  they  will  fol- 
low and  imitate  us.  A single  man  may  drink,  as  a single  man 
he  may  swear,  as  a single  man  he  may  lead  a godless  life, 
but  as  a married  man  you  had  better  call  a halt  and  ask 
6 


82 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


where  you  are  leading  your  children  to  day  by  day.  You 
may  sit  in  the  chairs  of  this  hall  night  after  night;  you 
may  simply  have  your  curiosity  excited;  you  may  simply 
come  here  to  laugh;  but  when  you  gather  your  children  in 
your  arms  and  see  that  your  bad  example  is  leading  them  to 
death  and  hell,  there  is  no  joke  about  that — no  laugh  about 
that ! God  pity  me  [and  pity  you  in  our  relations  toward 
those  that  lean  upon  us;  and  if  there  is  any  fact  in  my  his- 
tory I bless  God  for  in  my  heart  to-night,  it  is  the  fact  that 
not  a sweet  child  of  mine  ever  looked  in  my  face  when  I 
was  not  a Christian,  trying  to  serve  God  and  set  it  a good 
example. 

Did  you  ever  look  at  yourself  as  a mother?  Of  all  beings 
that  earth  claims  its  blessings  from,  it  looks  as  though  a 
mother  ought  to  be  the  best.  Mother,  what  is  your  life 
before  your  children?  Consider  yourself.  Did  you  ever 
look  at  your  children  till  you  saw  them?  Wife,  did  you 
ever  look  at  your  husband  till  you  saw  him?  Husband,  did 
you  ever  look  at  your  wife  until  you  saw  her?  If  there  is 
anybody  in  the  world  I would  have  get  to  Heaven,  it  is  my 
wife;  and  there  is  a husband  who  never  talked  ten  minutes 
to  his  wife  on  religion;  and  there  is  a wife  who  never 
opened  her  mouth  to  her  husband  about  the  way  of  life. 
Oh,  me ! when  we  think  of  a home  that  has  been  Christless, 
what  a sad  thing ! 

SEEING  ST.  LOUIS. 

And  then  we  ask  you  again,  did  you  ever  look  at  St. 
Louis  until  you  saw  it?  Did  you  ever  take  it  by  streets  and 
blocks?  Did  you  ever  count  the  bar-rooms  in  this  town? 
Did  you  ever  count  the  beer  gardens  in  this  town?  Did  you 
ever  count  the  number  of  men  that  went  in  and  out  of  the 
bar-rooms  and  beer  gardens  ? I bring  this  question  square 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


83 


before  you.  Did  yon  ever  count  the  number  of  soiled  doves 
that  curse  this  city  and  curse  themselves  ? Oh,  my  God, 
when  we  look  at  these  pictures  we  have  to  shut  our  eyes 
and  drop  down  upon  our  knees.  We  say,  “ God  deliver  us 
and  God  speed  us.”  Did  you  ever  count  the  billiard  tables 
in  this  town?  Did  you  ever  count  the  gambling  hells  in  this 
town?  Oh,  me!  No  wonder  this  one  writes  and  that  one 
wuites,  u Jones,  God  bless  you ! turn  loose  your  guns  and 
do  your  best  to  wake  up  the  Christian  people  and  show 
them  how  this  town  by  streets  and  blocks  is  drifting  to 
Hell  every  day.” 

Now,  I am  going  to  stick  to  truth  while  I am  here, 
and  I say  to  every  man  and  to  every  influence  in  this  town 
unfriendly  to  Christ  and  unfriendly  to  the  Bible  to  fight 
back.  I do  not  look  for  anything  else.  I want  to  say  right 
now  that  I like  to  see  things  moving  up,  and  if  you  can  say 
anything  worse  of  me  than  I can  of  you,  lamm  in,  and  I 
will  beat  you  to  the  tank  in  that  line,  maybe.  (Laughter.) 
Pick  every  flaw  you  can  in  every  sermon,  and  if  I can  not 
pick  more  flaws  in  your  life  than  you  do  in  my  sermons  I 
will  yield  the  feather  to  you.  I say  to  you  now  we  propose 
to  get  your  eyes  open  so  that  you  can  see  yourselves.  That 
is  the  first  sight  you  ought  to  look  at.  Then  look  at  St. 
Paul.  When  he  went  to  the  city  of  Athens  so  wholly 
given  up  to  idolatry  it  stirred  his  heart  within  him.  I have 
heard  Christian  people  say  that  they  had  no  feeling,  no  enthu- 
siasm, no  religious  fervor,  but  never  since  I joined  Christ’s 
church  have  I been  devoid  of  religious  fervor  and  enthusi- 
asm. The  man  who  goes  about  like  a corpse,  with  no  feel- 
ing, no  enthusiasm,  that  man  is  either  dead  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  or  he  has  closed  his  eyes  to  what  is  going  on 
about  him.  When  that  great  man  visited  the  city  of 
Athens,  so  wholly  given  up  to  idolatry,  it  stirred  his  heart 


84 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


within  him.  And  he  went  over  to  Mars  Hill,  pointed  to 
the  inscription  “ To  the  Unknown  God  ” and  preached  that 
grand  sermon  generated  in  his  sonl  as  he  walked  through 
the  streets  of  the  city  and  saw  that  it  was  wholly  given  np  to 
idolatry ; and  I tell  yon  to-night  when  we  see  ourselves  and 
our  city  and  our  surroundings  as  they  are,  there  is  hope 
for  us. 


SEEING  THE  CROSS. 

There  is  just  one  thing  more  I want  yon  to  do — that  is, 
to  see  the  cross.  It  is  the  hope  of  the  world.  It  is  the 
Balm  of  Gilead.  It  has  the  power  to  save.  It  is  the  re- 
demption of  the  race.  Oh,  my  brother,  fourteen  years 
ago  and  a few  days  I,  a poor,  wretched,  ruined,  lost  sinner, 
walked  up  to  see  my  father  die.  Oh,  how  I loved  that 
father,  and  how  I broke  his  heart.  I have  wished  a thousand 
times  that  I had  my  father  back  just  one  hour  that  I might 
lean  my  head  on  his  bosom  and  hear  him  speak  the  words  of 
kindness  and  advice  he  has  spoken  to  me  in  the  past.  As  I 
stood  by  his  dying  couch  he  took  my  hand  in  his  bony 
hand,  and  a heavenly  smile  rested  on  his  face  just  before 
he  passed  out  of  this  world.  He  did  not  die  ; he  did  not 
die.  His  faculties  were  as  bright  and  his  hope  as  buoyant 
in  the  very  agonies  of  death  as  they  ever  had  been.  As  I 
took  his  bony  hand  he  said : “ My  poor,  wayward  God- 
less boy  ! You  have  almost  broken  my  heart,  and  you  have 
given  me  so  much  trouble  ! Won’t  you  tell  your  dying 
father,  now,  that  you  will  meet  him  in  the  good  world  ? ” 
I stood  there  for  a moment  convulsed  from  head  to  foot. 
I said,  “ Yes,  father,  I will  meet  you  in  the  good  world.” 
I turned  awa}^  from  that  dying  couch,  and  every  step  I have 
made  from  that  time  to  this  has  been  to  the  good  world. 
And  I mean,  with  the  grace  of  God,  to  keep  my  promise. 


FIGHTING  THE  DEVIL. 


85 

I left  that  bed  a wretched  sinner,  and  looked  to  God.  I 
looked  up  there  and 

I saw  one  hanging  on  the  tree 
In  agonies  of  blood. 

He  fixed  his  languid  eyes  on  me, 

As  near  his  cross  I stood. 

Sure,  never,  to  my  latest  breath 
Can  I forget  that  look; 

He  seemed  to  charge  me  with  his  death, 

Though  not  a word  he  spoke. 

My  conscience  felt  and  owned  the  guilt 
And  plunged  me  in  despair; 

I saw  my  sins  his  blood  had  spilled 
And  helped  to  nail  him  there. 

A second  look  he  gave,  which  said: 

“ I freely  all  forgive, 

My  blood  is  shed  to  ransom  thee, 

I die  that  you  may  live.” 

Blessed  Christ,  live  forever  to  save  dying  men. 


86 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


We  invite  your  attention  to-niglit  to  the  9th  verse  of  the 
6th  chapter  of  St.  Paul’s  Epistle  to  the  Galatians: 

And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well-doing,  for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap 
if  we  faint  not. 

This  exhortation  may  be  wisely  and  prayerfully  consid- 
ered by  us  now.  Moral  forces  necessarily  move  slowly. 
This  city  has  been  wicked  for  forty  years,  and  if  you  think 
it  can  be  brought  to  God  in  a day  you  know  nothing  of 
moral  forces  and  how  they  operate.  This  exhortation 
comes  in  with  a good  deal  of  force  upon  us  here  to-night : 

Let  us  not  weary  in  well-doing,  for  in  due  season  — 

There’s  the  promise  — 

— for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap  it  if  we  faint  not. 

Well,  now  this  very  verse,  like  some  verse  of  almost 
every  chapter  in  the  Bible,  is  a key  to  the  whole  chapter. 
This  chapter  before  us  to-night  is  a great  palace  of  Scrip- 
ture truth  and  this  text  is  a key.  I take  this  text  and  I 
walk  up  to  the  front  door  of  this  great  palace  of  truth  and 
I unlock  the  front  door  and  walk  in,  and  the  first  thing  my 
eye  falls  upon  is  this: 

Brethren  if  a man  be  overtaken  in  a fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual,  re- 
store such  an  one  in  the  spirit  of  meekness. 

SELFISHNESS. 

Then  I find  from  the  lesson  of  to-night  that  the  first  well- 
doing of  every  Christian  man  is  to  ignore  himself,  and  that  of 
every  good  man  to  live  for  others.  If  there  is  anything 
incompatible  with  Christianity  it  is  selfishness.  If  there  is 
anything  that  Christianity  fights  and  would  have  you  and  I put 
out  of  the  way,  it  is  selfishness.  And  Hell  itself  is  nothing 
but  pure,  unadulterated,  concentrated  selfishness.  There  is 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


87 


not  an  intolerable  element  in  Hell  itself  that  has  not  in  it  e very 
element  of  selfishness.  No  man  is  in  a position  to  do  for 
others  until  he  can  get  himself  out  of  the  way.  The  great- 
est man  I ever  saw  was  the  most  unselfish  man.  The  small- 
est man  I ever  saw  was  the  most  selfish.  There  is  a little 
preacher  upon  a small*  circuit  in  Georgia,  when  I walk  up 
into  his  presence  he  grows  and  expands  and  develops,  and  I 
commence  to  wLiittle  and  whittle  down  untiljL  feel  like  a mole 
hill  by  a mountain,  and  do  you  know  why  that  man  seems 
so  great  and  I seem  so  small  ? It  is  because  when  I look 
into  his  face  I look  into  the  face  of  the  most  unselfish  man 
my  eyes  ever  looked  upon.  Why,  he  don’t  care  anything 
for  himself.  His  last  thought  at  night  is:  “How  can  I 
benefit  somebody  to-morrow  ? ” and  his  first  thought  in  the 
morning,  “ Where  may  I go  and  what  may  I do  to  benefit 
some  one  to-day  ? ” And  I speak  the  honest  truth  to-night 
when  I say : That  man  don’t  care  any  more  for  himself  than 
he  cares  for  a dog.  I like  that  sort  of  man,  and  a man  is 
never  in  position  to  do  for  others  until  he  gets  himself  down 
and  gets  his  feet  on  himself,  and  says  to  himself,  “ Now  you 
lie  there.  If  you  ever  get  up  or  open  your  mouth  again, 
I’ll  mash  it.  I never  intend  to  hear  from  you  any  more.” 
(Laughter.) 

This  world  is  run  on  selfish  principles.  “How  much  en- 
joyment may  I get  out  of  this,  and  how  much  profit  out  of 
that,  and  how  much  will  I lose  by  the  other.”  Selfishness 
always  defeats  itself — never  carries  its  point.  You  h t a man 
live  for  himself,  and  lay  up  money  for  himself,  and  pro- 
vide for  himself,  and  let  all  the  world  go.  “ Let  all  the 
world  go,  but  I am  going  to  layup  for  myself.”  Why  such 
a man  as  that  defeats  his  very  end.  In  our  State  there  was 
a man  spent  his  life  laying  up  for  his  old  age.  Lie  says, 
“I’m  never  going  to  want.  I’m  going  to  lay  up  for  my  old 


88 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


age.”  He  laid  up  $200,000,  and  to  illustrate  liis  state  of 
mind— one  of  liis  neighbors  was  over  at  his  house  one  day, 
and  they  were  talking  about  one  thing  and  another,  and  di- 
rectly the  neighbor  said,  “ Well, how  are  you  off  for  meat?  ” 
The  old  rich  fellow  said,  u Well,  I’ve  got  a smoke  house  full 
now  and  hogs  enough  to  make  ’me  meat  this  fall,  and  pigs 
enough  to  make  it  full  afterwards,  but  what  in  the  world  I 
am  to  do  after  that  I can’t  tell ! ” (Laughter.)  That  old 
fellow  was  starving  to  death  with  three  year’s  rations  on 
hand.  (Laughter.) 

UN-SELFISHNESS. 

Selfishness ! Live  for  self,  love  for  self,  work  for  self, 
and  let  all  the  world  go.  Now  that  sort  of  spirit  is  at 
enmity  with  Christianity,  and  I assure  you  that  Christianity 
is  at  enmity  with  a spirit  like  that.  Our  Lord  taught  us  a 
great  lesson  in  unselfishness.  Do  you  know  that  around 
all  the  broad  acres  ‘of  this  world  Jesus  of  Nazareth  never 
staked  him  off  a single  acre,  and  told  the  world,  u That’s 
mine.”  Do  you  know  that  amid  all  the  palaces  of  earth 
Jesus  looked  out  and  said:  “ The  foxes  have  holes,  the 
birds  of  the  air  have  nests,  but  I have  no  where  to  lay  my 
head”?  Do  you  know  that  amid  all  the  coin  on  earth, 
Jesus,  when  pressed  for  his  taxes,  sent  his  disciples  to  a 
fish’s  mouth  to  get  money  to  pay  them?  We  see  that  un- 
selfish one  as  he  arises  in  the  morning,  and  after  a simple 
breakfast  at  the  home  of  Mary  and  Martha,  he  walks  out 
upon  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  over  here  he  is  giving 
sight  to  a blind  man,  and  over  there  he  is  healing  the  sick, 
and  over  there  he  is  cleansing  a leper,  and  in  the  afternoon 
he  meets  a widow  bearing  her  son  to  the  tomb  to  bury 
him,  and  he  takes  the  son  by  the  hand  and  lifts  him  back 
into  his  mother’s  loving  arms,  and  amid  the  shouts  of  praise 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


89 


from  the  mother’s  lips  he  presses  his  way  until  he  reaches 
the  farthest  suburbs  of  the  city,  and  then  he  stops  by  the 
roadside  and  sits  down  and  leans  his  head  upon  his  own 
aching  arm,  and  he  says : “This  is  the  first  time  I have 
thought  of  myself  since  I got  up  this  morning.  I have 
just  been  thinking  about  others ; how  I could  benefit 
others ; how  I could  do  for  others  ; I have  been  hunting 
the  blind ; I have  been  seeking  the  sick  ; I have  been  com- 
forting the  disconsolate.”  Oh,  Christ ! Thy  life  was  writ- 
ten in  a single  sentence  : “ He  went  about  doing  good.” 

And  the  man  who  is  most  like  Christ  is  the  man  that  spends 
most  of  the  hours  of  his  life  just  like  Christ  did,  going 
about  doing  good. 

And  after  all,  my  brethren,  religion  can  not  be  com- 
passed by  services  like  this.  After  all  there  is  something 
more  in  religion  than  revival  services,  and  dedicated 
churches  and  paid  ministers  and  weekly  prayer  meetings. 
After  all,  you  can  not  compass  Christianity  in  the  mere 
formalities  of  your  church  and  the  songs  and  sermons  of 
revival  meetings.  And  Christianity  blesses  the  world,  and 
will  bring  the  world  to  God  just  in  proportion  as  mankind 
will  crucify  themselves  and  live  for  others. 

How  the  first  lesson  of  this  text  tells  us : 

Brethren,  if  a man  be  taken  in  a fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual  go  and 
restore  such  an  one  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  considering  thyself  also, 
lest  thou  be  tempted. 

DIFFERENT  KINDS  OF  MEMBERS. 

I used  to  think  there  was  a great  deal  of  difference,  after 
all,  in  our  churches  and  in  the  membership  of  our  churches. 
I have  thought,  after  all,  we  have  got  our  first-class  mem- 
bers and  our  second-class  members  and  our  tenth-rate  mem- 
bers, and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  But,  brethren,  the  great 
trouble  is,  we  can  hardly  find  a whole  man  among  us. 


9o 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


We  have  got  pieces  enough  to  make  a thousand,  but  they 
won’t  fit.  We  file  and  saw  and  chip  and  plug,  and  yet 
here  we  are  to-day  without  a whole  man  in  the  city  of  St. 
Louis. 

How,  we  say:  66  There  are  a great  many  different  sorts  of 
members  in  the  church.”  I grant  you  that.  There  is  one 
brother.  He  says:  “I  declare,  if  you  don’t  turn  out  these 
dancing  members,  I’m  going  to  quit  the  church.  I won’t 
live  in  a church  with  dancing  members.”  You  see  he  don’t 
dance.  (Laughter.)  But  I tell  you  what  he  will  do  every 
day — loan  his  money  at  twenty  per  cent,  interest;  and  God 
says  that  the  man  who  will  do  that  ain’t  fit  for  the  church, 
and  will  never  go  to  Heaven.  Here’s  another  brother. 
He’s  got  no  money  to  loan,  and  he  despises  dancing,  but 
you  can  tote  him  right  into  Hell  with  a demijohn;  he  does 
love  liquor  so.  (Laughter.)  Here’s  another  member  of  the 
church.  He  don’t  drink  and  don’t  lend  money  at  usury,  and 
don’t  dance,  but  he  will  skin  you  nine  times  out  of  ten 
when  you  go  to  trade  with  him,  and  I want  to  say  this: 
You  will  never  know  how  much  real,  genuine  scriptural 
hell  fire  there  is  in  a good  trade  till  you  get  to  Hell.  (Sen- 
sation.) And  I tell  you  another  thing:  We  can  sorter  put 
up  with  a fellow  that  sins  like  we  sin,  but  when  he  does 
something  we  won’t  do,  we  are  ashamed  of  him  right 
straight.  I declare  I never  see  a man  doing  anything  wrong 
that  I don’t  sorter  get  off  to  myself,  and  bury  my  face 
in  my  hands,  and  say:  “ Look-a-liere ! You  may  not  sin 
like  that  man,  but  are  you  not  doing  something  just  as  bad 
in  the  sight  of  God?  ” I say  we  can  put  up  with  a man  as 
long  as  he  sins  like  we  do,  but  when  he  does  something  we 
won’t  do,  then  we’ll  fall  out  with  him  right  there,  and  say : 
“ That  man  won’t  do.”  (Laughter.) 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


91 


THE  VIRUS  OF  BACKSLIDING. 

Now,  I like  this  position.  If  there  is  in  your  church  an 
incorrigible  backslider,  then  every  man  in  it  has  backslid- 
den. You  say:  “ How  do  you  know  that?”  Well,  sir,  the 
spirit  that  will  make  you  neglect  a backslidden  brother,  I 
don’t  care  what  else  you  do,  or  what  else  you  don’t  do,  that 
spirit  will  make  you  backslide  in  spite  of  all  you  can  do. 
For  if  Christianity  is  anything,  it  is  brotherly  kindness  in 
all  its  living,  active  force;  and  if  I have  no  more  of  the 
spirit  of  Christ  than  to  let  a brother  stray  off  and  off  and 
off  and  finally  be  lost,  then  I have  none  at  all  of  the  spirit 
of  Christ.  Now,  here  we  are;  the  churches  in  this  town 
looking  to  see  a gracious  revival  and  thousands  of  souls 
turned  to  God.  They  would  like  to  see  millions  of  people 
brought  to  Christ.  Well,  brother,  it  is  one  thing  to  bring 
a soul  to  Christ,  and  it  is  another  thing  to  look  after  him 
after  he  gets  there.  Take  an  instance  like  this,  happening 
in  Rome,  Ga.  The  pastor  of  the  leading  church  in  that 
city  told  me  the  incident.  He  said  that  a young  man,  per- 
haps twenty-two  or  twenty-three  years  old,  was  dying  with 
consumption,  and  just  the  day  before  he  died  the  young  man 

said  this.  Said  he:  “ Brother  L , you  are  my  pastor. 

1 belong  to  your  church.  I joined  your  church  three  years 
ago,  and  I have  tried  to  live  right  and  do  my  duty ; but,” 

said  he,  “Brother  L , not  a single  member  of  your 

church  ever  opened  his  mouth  to  me  on  the  subject  of  re- 
ligion. Not  one  came  to  me  to  speak  a word  of  comfort  or 
a word  of  cheer  to  me  or  a word  of  encouragement.  And 
say  to  your  church  as  you  preach  at  my  funeral,  that  with  360 
odd  members,  they  have  never  been  any  help  to  me.  And 
tell  them,  when  I am  dead  and  gone,  never  to  do  to  any  poor 
boy  as  they  have  done  to  me — -just  leave  him  to  himself,  and 


92 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


tell  liim  to  rough,  it.”  And  I tell  you  to-day,  from  all  the 
Christian  churches  in  this  country,  men  and  women  have 
strayed  off,  and  made  their  way  to  Hell  that  you  never 
opened  your  mouth  to  on  the  subject  of  religion. 

INTRODUCTIONS  IN  HEAVEN. 

Oh,  what  a sad  thought  in  human  history!  The  brother- 
hood in  Christ  Jesus,  the  fatherhood  of  God,  the  brother- 
hood of  the  whole  race.  I declare  to  you  to-day,  there  is 
nothing  that  I wouldn’t  do  for  my  brother;  there  is  nothing 
that  I wouldn’t  sacrifice  for  my  -sister;  there  is  no  place  at 
the  table  too  good  for  my  brother;  there  is  no  room  in  my 
house  too  good  for  my  sister.  And  I say  to  you  all  to-night 
that  the  brotherly  kindness  and  the  brotherly  love  that 
ought  to  be  manifested  one  toward  another  have  well  nigh 
died  out  from  the  face  of  the  earth.  Instead  of  helping 
each  other  and  joining  hands  and  marching  like  a band  of 
brothers  all  through  the  world,  there  are  members  of  differ- 
ent churches  that  don’t  know  a dozen  members  of  the  same 
church  they  belong  to.  I have  told  them  sometimes  that  I 
expect  if  they  were  to  get  to  Heaven — if  they  were  fortunate 
enough  to  get  there  (laughter) — the  angels  would  be  kept 
busy  several  years  introducing  them  to  one  another.  (Great 
laughter.)  Members  of  the  same  church,  living  for  tenor 
twenty  years  in  the  same  church,  going  to  Heaven  from 
the  same  church,  if  such  a thing  were  possible,  and  then 
to  have  to  be  introduced  in  Heaven,  on  the  streets  of 
glory,  by  the  angels,  to  one  another.  Why,  that  won’t  do ! 
( Laughter.) 

If  a Mason  were  to  come  here  to  St.  Louis,  and  he  needed 
assistance  and  needed  help,  and  he  was  a Methodist  as  well 
as  a Mason,  which  would  he  go  to,  the  Methodist  Church  or 
the  Masonic  fraternity,  for  help  ? If  a man  were  an  Odd 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


93 


Fellow  and  a Baptist,  to  which  class  would  he  go  to  get 
means  to  follow  his  journey?  Would  he  go  to  the  Odd 
Fellows  or  go  to  the  Baptists?  Ah,  brother,  the  Irishman 
told  a great  truth  when  he  said,  “ If  there  was  a little  more 
of  the  milk  of  human  kindness  in  this  world,  what  a grand 
world  would  we  have.”  (Applause,)  I tell  you  I had  fre- 
quently rather  go  to  a wholesale  liquor  dealer  to  get  help 
than  go  to  some  members  of  the  church.  These  members 
of  the  church  “brother”  a fellow  for  about  six  months, 
and  then  think  he  belongs  to  them,  and  that  is  just  about 
the  way  the  thing  goes.  (Laughter.) 

A CHRISTIAN  LAWYER. 

And  we  can  never  accomplish  what  we  ought  to  as  a 
church  unless  this  spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  and  of  brotherly 
kindness  and  love  shall  take  possession  of  us.  Here  the 
speaker  told  of  a lawyer,  some  fifty  years  of  age,  who  joined 
the  church  of  which  he  was  pastor,  in  one  of  the  wicked- 
est counties  in  Georgia.  Said  Mr.  Jones: 

And  that  man  has  never  backslidden  an  inch  in  his  life 
since  he  joined  the  church.  An  old  brother  at  a camp- 
meeting once  turned  to  me  and  said:  “Jones,  haven’t  you 
been  a wonderful  backslider  in  your  day?”  Said  I:  “I 
don’t  know,  why?”  “Well,”  he  says,  “you  seem  to  know 
more  backsliders  than  I ever  saw  in  my  life.”  (Laughter.) 
“Well,”  said  I,  “brother,  I ought  to  begin  to  know  some- 
thing about  them.  I have  never  associated  with  any  other 
sort  since  I joined  the  church.”  (Great  laughter.)  A fel- 
low will  learn  something  once  in  a while  if  he  will  keep 
eyes  and  ears  open.  Now,  why  was  it  this  lawyer  brother 
never  backslid  an  inch?  Do  you  want  to  know  why?  He 
literally  spent  his  life  in  looking  after  backsliders.  Shortly 
after  he  joined  the  church  he  commenced  working  with 


94 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


the  brethren.  If  he  saw  two  members  of  the  church  quar- 
reling on  the  street,  no  matter  what  church  they  belonged 
to,  he  went  out  and  put  his  hand  on  each’s  shoulder  and 
said:  “You  are  my  brother.  You  are  brethren  to  one  an- 
other. You  mustn’t  quarrel  or  fuss.  If  this  is  a question  of 
financial  difference,  1 will  pay  the  money  out  of  my  own 
pocket  before  I will  see  brothers  fussing.”  And  if  a mem- 
ber of  the  church  went  into  a grocery  to  get  a drink  he  ran 
right  in  after  him — not  to  take  a drink  with  him,  like  some 
of  you  do  (laughter),  but  to  bring  him  out  of  there.  (Ap- 
plause.) And  he  walked  into  the  grocery,  and  said  he: 
“My  brother,  don’t  drink  that,  because  Christian  people 
ought  not  to  drink.  I used  to  drink  when  I was  a child  of 
the  devil,  but  we  can’t  drink  whisky  and  be  religious.  My 
brother  walk  out  of  here.”  And  he  would  carry  the 
brother  out  of  there. 

A PRACTICAL  TEMPERANCE  REFORMER. 

And  if  a member  of  the  church  got  so  drunk  on  the 
street  that  he  could  not  walk  home,  he  would  say  to  another 
man,  “Here  is  my  brother  drunk  on  the  street;  will  you 
help  to  carry  him  down  to  the  house  with  me?  And  he 
would  carry  that  poor  drunken  fellow  down  to  his  house 
and  say  to  his  wife  — the  Major  called  his  wife  Sister 
Martha  and  Mary  — and  she  wras  the  best  Martha  I most 
ever  saw,  and  she  wras  the  best  Mary  I think  I ever  saw. 
She  was  good  on  both  sides.  She  would  sit  at  the  Savior’s 
feet  and  when  she  came  to  housekeeping  everything  about 
her  home  would  shine  — and  he  would  say,  “Sister  Martha 
and  Mary,  here  is  one  of  our  brothers  slipped  up;  he’s  done 
a little  wrong;  fix  a bed;  let  us  put  our  brother  to  bed.” 
And  he  would  be  put  to  bed  and  the  Major  would  sit  by 
his  side  and  say  to  his  wife,  “Fix  a nice  cup  of  coffee  for 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


95 


our  brother  to  drink  when  he  wakes,  and  I’ll  pick  out  a few 
verses  of  Scripture  to  read  to  him,  and  I think  he  won’t 
get  drunk  any  more.”  And  when  he  would  wake  up  the 
Major  would  say  to  him,  “Now  drink  some  of  Sister  Martha 
and  Mary’s  coffee.”  And  then  he  would  show  her  the 
wash-stand  and  towel  and  invite  her  to  wash  the  dirt  off  his 
face,  and  when  he  was  straightened  up  he  wrould  kneel 
down  by  her  and  pray;  “God  help  my  brother.  He  has 
made  a little  slip,  being  tempted,  but  I don’t  think  he’ll  do 
it  any  more.”  And  he  never  had  to  take  a man  to  his 
house  but  once.  The  first  dose  of  that  treatment  generally 
fetched  them. 

A sister  may  say,  “Ah,  me!  I would  have  no  drunken 
dog  in  my  bed ! ” That  is  because  you  are  a good  Sister 
Martha,  but  you  are  a failure  as  a Mary.  (Applause.)  Don’t 
you  see  ? 

THE  QUESTION"  OF  SELF-SACRIFICE.  * 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  lay  out  on  that  mountain  top, 
bleak  and  dark  and  dreary,  for  forty  days  and  forty  nights, 
and  suffered  for  you ; the  Lord  J esus  Christ  wept  and 
prayed  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  with  a bloody  sweat 
bursting  from  his  body,  and  expired  on  Ca l , ary  for  you, 
and  there  you  are,  claiming  to  have  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and 
you  would  not  soil  one  of  your  snow-white  counterpanes  to 
save  a soul  from  Hell!  Do  you  call  that  religion?  Ah, 
me!  We’ve  got  to  be  different  if  we  ever  do  anything. 
We  go  to  church  and  sing. 

Christ  gave  his  life  for  me, 

And  then  we’ll  break  out  on  the  next  line  — 

What  have  we  done  for  him  ? 

Just  like  we  had  done  everything.  And  then  we’ll  take 
up  the  next  verse  — 

Christ  suffered  much  for  me, 


g6  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

And  tlien  we’ll  break  out  on  the  next  line  — 

What  have  I suffered  for  him  ? 

And  there  seems  to  be  an  exultation  of  soul  as  we  strike 
that  second  line.  Brother,  sister,  look  at  the  life  and 
character  of  Jesus  Christ.  Take  the  life  and  character  of 
Paul!  Take  the  life  and  character  of  those  men  who  rotted 
to  death  in  dungeons,  and  who  died  at  the  stake,  and  who 
were  imprisoned  and  striped  and  abused  for  you  and  me, 
and  then  let  us  look  how  our  hands  have  grown  soft  and 
white,  and  our  own  personal  interest  has  absorbed  all  our 
energies  and  all  our  efforts. 

WHERE  THE  RUB  COMES  IN. 

I’ll  tell  you  where  the  rub  is.  There  is  a member  of  the 
church,  and  here  is  a poor  drunkard ; he  walks  up  and  gives 
his  heart  to  God  and  joins  the  church,  and  that  member  of 
the  church  sits  back  there  and  shakes  his  head,  “Oh,  my 
soul ! I wish  that  fellow  hadn’t  joined  our  church ; ” and  then, 
about  three  months  after  that,  the  poor  fellow  has  tried  to 
be  faithful,  but  under  temptation  fell,  and  then  the  brother 
meets  the  preacher,  and  he  tells  him:  “I  knew  you  ought 
not  to  take  that  man  into  our  church  ; I knew  when  he 
joined  he  would  be  disgracing  our  church.”  And  I will 
tell  you  another  thing:  That  poor  fellow  lying  there  in 
the  gutter  is  a gentleman  and  a scholar  and  a Christian  be- 
side of  that  old  Pharisee  who  stands  by  the  side  of  him  and 
says,  “Just  look  at  that!  Just  look  at  that!”  (Applause.) 

I will  tell  you,  we  got  too  much  just  such  Phariseeism  in 
this  city  as  that.  My  God!  help  us  to  see  that  Jesus  Christ 
died  for  the  poorest  and  meanest  wretch  that  ever  walked 
on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  we  can  do  nothing  that  can 
glorify  Christ  more  than  to  put  our  arms  around  a poor, 
ruined  wretch  and  bring  him  to  God.  And  I praise  my 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


97 


Savior,  now  and  forever,  that  He  is  able  and  willing,  and 
seems  more  willing,  to  save  the  lowest,  meanest  man  on  earth, 
than  any  other  character  that  lives.  That  man  may  be  so 
mean  that  the  common  people  on  the  street  kick  him  out  of 
their  way  ; the  bar-rooms  have  kicked  him  out  at  the  door; 
his  very  wife  has  fled  from  him ; but  Christ  says  to  all  of 
us,  when  our  father  and  mother  forsake  us  then  He  will 
take  us  up.  Oh,  Christ!  let  the  race  of  man  be  as  good  to 
each  other  as  Thou  art  good  to  us! 

A KENTUCKY  STORY. 

In  the  Fifth  and  Walnut  Church  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  two 
years  ago,  one  night  during  a revival  meeting,  fifteen  men 
came  up  and  took  the  front  seats,  and  those  fifteen  men  on 
that  front  pew  were  the  very  imps  of  the  devil.  I never 
looked,  and  no  man  ever  looked,  at  such  men  in  the  Church 
of  God.  How,  how  about  those  fifteen  men?  The  pastor 
of  that  church — one  of  the  sweetest-spirited,  most  Christly 
men  I ever  saw — he  went  to  each  one  and  took  his  name 
and  said  to  him,  “ You  remain  here  after  this  service.” 
There  sat  the  son  of  old  Col.  Harney,  the  editor  of  the 
Louisville  Democrat , that  had  been  drunk  on  the  streets  of 
Louisville  for  twenty  years  ; and  here  was  another,  the 
veriest  reprobate  that  ever  walked  the  face  of  the  earth  ; 
and  here  was  another,  and  there  was  another;  and  there  the 
fifteen  men  sat,  the  very  imps  of  the  devil,  at  the  very  gates 
of  Hell,  and  that  preacher  took  their  names  and  asked  them 
to  remain.  He  took  his  board  of  stewards  and  said,  after 
services:  “Now,  let  us  take  these  fifteen  men  to  the  bath- 
room, and  let  us  take  them  to  the  clothing  house  and  let  us 
put  clothes  on  them  and  have  them  made  respectable  and 
win  them  to  Christ.”  And  I was  at  that  Louisville  church 
just  fifteen  months  after  that.  Now,  how  about  the  fifteen? 
7 


98 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


One  of  them  had  died — had  gone  home  to  Heaven,  one  of 
them  had  backslid,  and  thirteen  of  the  most  earnest  workers 
at  the  Fifth  and  Walnut  Church  came  off  that  front  bench 
that  I have  been  talking  to  you  about,  and  the  son  of  Col. 
Harney,  of  the  Louisville  Democrat , a book-keeper  for  the 
Louisville  and  Nashville  Railroad,  and  that  same  man  would 
jump  up  in  the  meeting,  now  and  then,  and  say:  “ Glory 
to  God!  I get  up  to  say  that  God  has  saved  the  lowest  sin- 
ner that  lived  in  Louisville.” 

God  help  us  to  go  out  among  the  wharf  rats  and  the  de- 
graded of  this  town  and  bring  them  to  Christ.  Poor  fel- 
lows ! how  sorry  we  ought  to  be  for  them.  They  are  kicked 
and  cuffed  about  by  humanity,  and  they  toil  every  day  for 
the  meat  they  eat  at  night,  and  with  the  poor,  cold  house, 
and  the  shivering  wrife,  and  the  ragged  children.  God  help 
us  to  do  what  we  can  for  those  poor,  degraded  men ! And 
when  we  see  such  a spirit  as  that  among  you  all,  then  you 
may  look  for  God  to  touch  this  city  with  a power  that  will 
move  it  from  center  to  circumference. 

HELP,  NOT  CRITICISM. 

Brethren,  if  a man  be  overtaken  in  a fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual  go 
and  restore  him. 

It  is  not  your  business  to  criticise  or  say  : “ Just  look  how 
that  man  has  degraded  the  church  and  disgraced  Christian- 
ity,” but  it  is  your  business  to  go  out  to  him,  and  rescue  him, 
and  bring  him  back  to  God.  There  are  many  members  of 
the  church  strayed  off  to-night  and  are  wandering  away 
from  God  that  would  have  been  good,  active  members  of 
the  church  if  you  had  been  a brother,  indeed,  to  them. 
Brethren,  if  a man  be  overtaken  in  a fault,  ye  which  are 
spiritual  go  and  restore  him.  Why?  If  you  don’t  you  will 
backslide  yourself.  The  spirit  that  makes  you  neglect  your 
brother  will  make  you  backslide  inevitably.  Bishop  Marvin, 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


99 


the  noble  man  that  died  in  your  midst,  related  an  incident 
how  the  faithful  class  leaders  cared  for  a poor  drunken  man 
and  straightened  him  up,  and  brought  him  to  God,  and  took 
him  into  the  church,  and  labored  with  him,  and  labored 
for  him,  and  had  him  praying  night  and  morning  in  his 
family,  and  how  that  man  moved  out  farther  west,  and  how 
that  man  lived  right  there  for  several  months,  and  how  his 
wife  wrote  back  to  the  noble  class  leaders  and  said  to  them: 
“ My  husband  died  happy  last  night  and  said, 4 Write  it  back 
to  my  faithful  class  leaders  there  is  another  sinner  saved  by 
Christ.5  55 

Brethren,  let  us  look  to  our  Christianity.  Does  it  send 
us  out  to  those  that  need  us?  Is  it  bringing  others  to  Christ 
through  us?  Are  we  spending  and  being  spent  year  after 
year  in  the  great  work  of  seeing  that  souls  are  marching 
home  to  God  ? 

BEARING  OTHERS5  BURDENS. 

Then  I take  this  key  and  open  it  into  another  apartment 
of  this  chapter,  and  I read  this : 

Bear  ye  one  another’s  burdens,  and  so  fulfill  the  law  of  Christ. 

I see  in  the  Church  of  God  that  all  of  its  duties  rest 
upon  a few  in  all  the  churches.  If  you  want  any  praying 
done,  call  on  Brother  A;  if  you  want  any  paying  done, 
call  on  Brother  B,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  And  I want 
to  tell  you  to-night,  we  can  never  make  the  church  what  it 
ought  to  be  until  every  man  shall  bear  one  another’s 
burdens.  We  must  do  our  part  in  all  the  phases  of  church 
work.  I will  tell  how  the  thing  stands  now.  You  go  about 
through  the  community  and  you  will  find  the  whole  of  the 
church  up  in  the  wragon — the  whole  thing-;  some  of  them 
up  there  laughing,  some  dancing,  some  cursing,  some  shout- 
ing, some  praying — the  whole  thing  up  in  the  wagon,  and 


100 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


the  poor  little  preacher  out  in  the  shafts  trying  to  pull  the 
thing  to  glory,  and  every  little  while  some  fellow  up  in  the 
wagon  will ,say,  “Tap him  up  a bit!  Move  him  up  a little, 
hoys ! ” and  feeding  him  on  wheat  straw  all  the  year  round. 
No  horse  ever  made  2:40  on  wheat  straw.  (Laughter.) 

SHARING  THE  WORK. 

Bear  ye  one  another’s  burdens. 

Listen ! If  I were  to  go  fishing  to-morrow  with  four  men, 
and  we  were  to  bn y 25  cents  worth  of  ]ard  to  fry  our  fish, 
and  we  had  to  get  wood  to  fry  them,  and  prepare  them  to 
fry,  if  I didn't  pay  my  five  cents  of  that  quarter,  and  I 
didn’t  get  my  part  of  the  wood,  and  do  my  part  of  the  clean- 
ing of  the  fish,  I would  not  consider  myself  a gentleman, 
much  less  a Christian.  If  1 was  a member  of  any  church 
in  this  town,  and  I didn’t  do  my  part  of  the  paying  and  my 
part  of  the  praying  and  my  part  of  the  everything  that  was 
done,  I wouldn’t  consider  myself  a gentleman,  much  less  a 
Christian.  The  shirks  and  sharks  in  the  church  ! And  the 
shirk  don’t  run  long  until  he  turns  to  the  shark.  He  will 
shirk  every  day,  and  like  the  old  shark  he’ll  eat  everything 
within  a mile  of  him.  (Laughter.)  There’s  a good  deal  of 
that  sort  going  on  in  the  world.  And  I will  tell  you  where 
all  the  growling  comes  in.  These  fellows  that  don’t  pay 
any  and  don’t  pray  any,  they  are  the  growlers,  and  there 
ought  to  be  an  addition  to  every  church  in  this  country  and 
call  it  “ The  Growler,”  and  run  them  in  there.  (Laughter.) 
If  there  is  anything  in  the  world  I have  got  a contempt  for 
it  is  to  see  two  or  three  fellows  sitting  back  in  a Pullman 
sleeper  with  a dead-head  ticket  in  their  pockets  quarreling 
with  the  conductor  about  how  he  is  pulling  the  train. 
(Laughter.) 


Bear  ye  one  another’s  burdens. 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


IOI 


Bear  part  in  the  great  work  of  bringing  the  world  to 
God. 

THE  VIRTUE  OF  DOING. 

Then  I take  this  same  key  and  open  into  another  apart- 
ment and  read  this  : 

For  if  a man  think  himself  something  when  he  is  (or  when  he  does) 
nothing,  he  deceiveth  himself. 

What  a man  does  is  the  test  of  what  a man  is.  If  what 
a man  does  is  not  a test  of  what  a man  is,  then  what  a man 
pays  is  the  test  of  what  a man  is.  1 can  sorter  put  up  with 
a fellow  in  the  church  that  won't  do  anything,  but  who’ll 
pay  well.  There  ain’t  a railroad  in  heaven  or  earth  that 
don’t  charge  extra  for  a sleeper,  and  you  ought  to  pay  it. 
(Laughter.)  That’s  the  truth  about  it.  I believe  in  doing 
the  thing  yourself  or  hiring  somebody  else  to  do  it.  I will 
either  pray  every  time  they  call  on  me  at  church,  or  I will 
have  a fellow  there  paid  by  the  month  to  do  my  praying — 
one  or  the  other.  (Laughter.)  And  that’s  the  only  honest 
way  to  get  out  of  it,  sir.  (Laughter.)  You’ve  got  a good 
many  elements  of  the  hog  in  you  if  you  don’t  run  it  that 
way.  I declare  to  you  this  shirking  spirit — want  all,  all,  all 
that  can  come  to  you  and  yet  never  give  back  anything — 
is  too  prevalent  in  the  church  to-day.  And  a man  gets  out 
of  his  religion  just  in  proportion  as  he  puts  into  it.  I used 
to  be  pastor;  and  I’ll  tell  you  another  thing,  I never  had  a 
member  of  my  church  in  my  life  that  would  not  pray  in 
public  and  pray  in  his  family,  that  was  any  account — never 
did.  They  may  be  all  right — I reckon  they  are — here  in 
St.  Louis,  but  I am  talking  of  away  down  in  Georgia. 
(Laughter.)  That’s  the  way  to  put  it. 

THEATER-GOING  CHRISTIANS. 

How  many  theater-going  Christians  pray  in  public  and 


102 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


pray  in  their  families  ? I want  every  Christian  man  here 
to-night  who  prays  in  his  family  night  and  morning,  who 
goes  to  prayer-meeting  every  Wednesday  night  and  prays 
when  they  call  on  him,  who  visits  the  sick  and  reads  the 
Bible  to  them  and  prays  for  them  and  who  goes  to  the 
theater — I want  you  to  stand  up.  I want  to  see  how  many 
there  are  here.  (Nearly  every  one  in  the  house  looked 
around  to  see  if  any  one  stood  up.)  Oh,  you  need  not  be 
looking  around ! (Laughter  and  great  applause.)  I just 
want  to  see  one  Christian  who  is  doing  his  duty  and  run- 
ning to  ball-rooms,  theaters,  circuses,  cards  and  such  like. 
Now  I hardly  ever  mention  circuses.  They  are  too  low 
down  for  me.  (Laughter.)  Down  South  all  trashy  niggers 
and  low-down  white  folks  go  to  circuses.  My  typical  idea 
of  a circus  crowd  is  a sot,  a one-eyed  nigger  and  a dog. 
(Laughter.)  I think  that  is  a pretty  good  circus  crowd,  and 
if  I was  a sot,  or  a one-eyed  darky  or  a dog  I would  go  to 
a circus,  but  I never  will  go  to  one  until  I get  to  be  one  of 
those  things.  (Laughter.) 

What  a man  does  is  the  test  of  what  he  is,  and  when  he 
does  these  things  he  does  not  do  those  things.  When  he 
does  these  things  that  are  right  he  won’t  do  the  other 
things.  Now  listen  to  me,  my  friend.  If  I am  doing  my 
duty  toward  God  I am  not  running  into  these  other  things. 
You  ask  me  how  I know,  and  I tell  you  I have  tried  it.  I 
know  how  it  goes.  I know  from  personal,  practical  ex- 
perience that  a man  who  prays  in  his  family,  and  who  prays 
in  public,  and  who  lives  rightly  before  the  community,  does 
not  go  to  such  places. 

A GOOD  WORD  FOR  “ RIP.” 

And  you  say,  Jones,  what  are  you  always  fighting  the 
theater  for  ? ' Why,  don’t  you  think  Joe  Jefferson  is  a 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING.  IO3 

worthy  and  good  man  ? Certainly  I do,  and  if  yon  will  kill 
all  the  other  tribe  but  Joe  I will  never  say  another  word 
against  theaters.  (Laughter  and  applause.)  Now,  what  do 
you  say?  You  say,  “ Let  us  reform  the  theater.55  That 
would  be  like  a lot  of  girls  who,  in  a certain  town,  married 
all  the  drunken  boys  to  reform  them,  and  now  there  are 
more  little  old  “ whipper-will55  widows  around  that  town 
than  you  ever  saw.  (Laughter.)  That  is  u sorter55  like  a 
fellow  pitching  in  and  drinking  up  a barrel  of  whisky  to 
keep  the  whisky  from  doing  any  harm.  (Laughter.) 

What  a man  does  is  the  test  of  what  he  is.  If  he  runs  on 
that  line,  there  is  the  test.  If  he  runs  on  this  line,  there  is 
the  test ; and  if  a man  thinks  he  must  be  doing  something 
when  he  is  doing  nothing,  he  deceivetli  himself.  What  an 
engine  does  is  a test  of  what  an  engine  is.  When  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Wabash  road  writes  to  Mr.  Rogers,  at  his  loco- 
motive-works, and  says  : “ I want  an  engine  that  will  pull 
twenty  cars  up  a grade  of  so  many  feet  to  the  mile,55  Mr. 
Rogers  sends  an  engine.  They  couple  twenty  cars  to  it 
and  start  it  up  the  grade,  but  it  stands  stock  still,  and  the 
president  of  the  railroad  telegraphs  to  Mr.  Rogers  : uCome 
after  your  engine  ; I don’t  want  it.55  Mr.  Rogers  comes. 
They  walk  up  to  the  engine  and  he  says : “ Look  at  that 
cab  ; it5s  the  nicest  cab  ever  sent  out  of  the  shop.  Look  at 
that  bright  piston  rod  how  it  glistens  in  the  sunshine.  Look 
at  those  magnificent  driving  wheels.55  The  president  re- 
plies, “ I never  said  anything  to  you  about  cabs  or  piston 
rods  or  driving  wheels.  I want  an  engine  that  will  take 
these  cars  up  that  grade.55  Another  engine  is  built  and  it  is 
ready  for  the  trial.  'They  fire  her  up  until  the  gauge  indi- 
cates 160  pounds  pressure  to  the  square  inch.  The  engineer 
opens  the  throttle.  The  engine  starts  up  hill  moving  the 
cars  with  it,  and  when  it  turns  the  grade  it  seems  to  say, 


104 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


“ I could  have  pulled  up  ten  more  cars  if  you  had  put  them 
on  the  train.”  The  president  says,  “ that  is  what  we  want.” 

God  does  not  want  you  because  you  live  in  a four-story 
house.  He  does  not  want  you  because  you  have  the  finest 
turnout  in  town.  He  does  not  want  you  because  you  are 
president  of  the  leading  bank.  But  God  wants  you  for 
what  you  can  do.  Sister,  God  does  not  want  you  for  how 
you  can  dress  your  children  or  how  you  can  bang  your  hair. 
(Laughter.)  God  wants  you  for  what  you  can  do.  There 
is  many  a Pauline  Christian  around  in  this  country.  They 
exclaim  : “ Paul  says  it  is  a shame  for  woman  to  speak  in 

public.”  Paul  also  said  : “ It  is  a shame  for  woman  to  cut 
her  hair  off.”  How  do  you  get  along  there?  You  are 
Pauline  where  you  want  to  be  and  un-Pauline  where  you 
wTant  to  be.  (Laughter.)  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us  ! What 
a man  does  is  test  of  what  he  is.  What  a woman  does  is  a 
test  of  what  she  is.  God  does  not  want  to  know  what  you 
have,  how  you  look  or  where  you  live,  but  God  wants  to 
know  how  much  you  can  do  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

CATS  AS  A TEST  FOR  HOLINESS. 

I turn  again  to  this  chapter  and  read : 

Every  man  shall  bear  his  own  burden. 

There  are  some  things  you  can  not  delegate  to  another. 
1 have  a contempt  for  those  folks  who,  when  I go  to  their 
house,  want  me  to  conduct  family  prayers  for  them,  and 
who  never  have  any  at  any  other  time.  Somehow  there  is 
always  something  that  will  let  the  secret  out.  If  a fellow 
is  not  in  the  habit  of  praying  with  his  family  you  can  always 
find  it  out  without  asking  the  question.  An  old  preacher 
once  went  to  a place  like  that.  They  asked  him  to  read  a 
chapter  of  the  Bible  and  pray  with  them.  After  he  had 
read  the  chapter  of  the  Scriptures  they  all  knelt  down,  and 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


105 


as  they  did  so  all  the  cats  jumped  out  of  the  window. 
(Laughter.)  They  had  never  seen  anything  like  that  before, 
and  they  did  not  know  what  was  happening.  (Renewed 
laughter.)  I expect  there  is  many  a professing  Christian 
in  this  house  to-night  at  whose  home  prayer  is  so  great  a 
stranger  that  if  you  were  to  pray  with  them  the  cats  would 
jump  out  of  the  window.  (Laughter.)  It  is  something 
unusual  with  them.  I really  believe  some  of  us  are  like  the 
man  I once  heard  Dr.  Young  tell  of.  He  awoke  one  morn- 
ing and  said  to  himself  : “ I have  been  a member  of  the 

church  for  lifteen  years,  and  I have  never  been  religious  a 
single  day.5’  Afterward  he  lay  there  thinking  and  finally 
said,  “ I am  going  to  put  this  day  over  as  a Christian  man. 
I am  going  to  do  my  best  this  day  to  be  religious.”  He 
got  up  out  of  his  bed  and  kneeling  down  beside  it  said,  u Oh 
Lord,  help  me  to  be  a Christian  this  day.  Help  me  this 
day  to  live  aright.”  Then  he  rose  from  his  knees,  and  be- 
fore the  breakfast  bell  rang  he  called  his  wife  and  family 
into  the  family  room  and  said,  “ Take  your  seats.  I’m  go- 
ing to  read  a chapter  with  you  all.  I have  never  lived  re- 
ligious one  day  in  my  life,  but  by  God’s  grace  I am  going 
to  put  one  day  over  religiously.”  Then  he  read  a chapter 
of  the  Bible  and  offered  up  prayer.  After  breakfast  he  bade 
his  wufe  and  children  good-by  pleasantly.  He  was  kind  to 
all  his  clerks  during  the  day,  and  gentle  in  all  his  transac- 
tions. He  came  back  to  dinner,  and  when  he  sat  down  he 
said  grace — a “ blessing,”  as  we  say — at  his  table.  I like 
that,  too.  A man  that  will  sit  down  to  his  table  before  his 
children  and  eat,  without  returning  thanks  to  the  Good 
Provider  of  all  things,  that  fellow  is  eleven-tenths  hog. 
(Laughter.)  All  the  human  in  him  is  turned  to  hog,  and  he 
is  at  best  eleven-tenths  hog.  He  sat  down  to  his  table  and 
asked  a blessing,  and  after  dinner  he  said,  “ Wife,  will  you 


106  • SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

please  fix  tip  this  half-broiled  chicken  here;  make  some  nice 
toast,  and  will  you  arrange  it  nicely  on  a waiter  for  Brother 
Johnson,  living  down  here.  He  has  been  paralyzed  two 
years.  He  is  a member  of  our  church,  and  I have  not  been 
to  see  him.  I have  not  paid  any  attention  to  him,  but  if 
you  fix  up  these  things  nicely  on  a waiter  I will  take  them 
down  to  him.”  The  waiter  was  fixed  up,  and  he  took  it 
down  to  the  sick  brother.  Then  he  said  : “ If  you  have  a 
Bible  I will  read  to  you,”  and  he  read  : “ The  Lord  is  my 
shepherd.  I shall  not  want.”  Then  he  knelt  down  and 
prayed  heaven’s  blessing  on  the  poor  sick  fellow.  That 
night  he  held  family  prayer  in  his  own  home,  and  after  they 
had  gone  to  bed,  his  sons  Bill  and  Tom,  who  slept  in  the  next 
room  with  the  door  open  between,  began  talking.  Tom 
hunched  Bill  in  the  side  and  said  : “ Bill,  the  old  man’s 

going  to  die  and  Bill  said  : “ How  do  you  know,  Tom  ?” 
“ Why,”  said  Tom,  “ don’t  you  see  he  is  getting  pious  ? He 
will  die  before  the  week’s  out,  I am  satisfied.”  (Laughter.) 

CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 

Let  me  tell  you,  there  is  many  a Christian  in  this  town 
whose  children,  if  he  were  to  go  home  and  resolve  to  be 
religious  for  one  day,  would  punch  one  another  in  the  short 
ribs  and  say,  “ the  old  man  is  going  to  die.”  (Laughter.) 

For  every  man  shall  bear  his  own  burden. 

I never  see  that  passage  that  I do  not  think  of  the  time 
that  a certain  preacher  took  it  as  his  text.  He  said,  “ Every 
tub  must  stand  on  its  own  bottom  ; ” and  an  Irishman  in  the 
congregation  said,  “ Faith,  and  if  it  has  no  bottom  ? ” “ Then 
it  is  no  tub,”  replied  the  preacher.  This  “ no  tub  ” business 
is  running  through  the  church  largely. 

On  and  on  we  might  go  into  this  chapter,  but  we  have 
kept  you, over  an  hour.  And  now  let  us  go  away  and  think 
about  the  part  we  are  to  take  in  this  great  work.  “ How 


BE  NOT  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


IOJ 


am  I to  prepare  myself,  and  what  shall  I do,  in  order  that 
God  may  carry  on  and  bless  this  work.”  And  now  brethren, 
Christian  brethren  of  all  churches,  if  yon  have  it  in  yonr 
hearts  will  you  stand  squarely  on  your  feet  and  say,  66  God 
helping  me,  I intend  to  live  an  unselfish  Christian.  I intend 
to  try  to  be  a good  man  and  to  help  others  to  be  good.” 
Will  everybody  of  every  church  that  feels  that  way  stand 
up?  (The  audience  rose  en  masse.)  Well,  thank  God  for 
such  a house  as  that,  and  may  God  inspire  you  to  lead  a 
better  life.  And  may  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God  abide 
with  you  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen. 


xo8 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


ETEE  Y-D  AY  RELIGION. 


We  invite  your  attention  to  the  text,  to  be  fonnd  in  the 
third  chapter  and  ninth  verse  of  the  first  epistle  general  of 
St.  John. 

Whosoever  is  born  of  God  cloth  not  commit  sin;  for  His  seed  remaineth  * 
jn  him;  and  he  can  not  sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God. 

You  say,  “ Strange  text  for  a Thanksgiving  sermon.” 
Well,  let’s  wait  awhile'knd  see  what  thist^xt  has  to  do  with 
this  occasion  and  with  the  future  of  our  lives.  I might 
stop  here  and  say : This  one  verse  of  Scripture  gave  me 
more  pain  and  trouble  for  seven  or  eight  years  of  my  re- 
ligious life  than  perhaps  any  other  and  all  other  passages  of 
the  word  of  God.  This  text  to  me  once  was  a two-edged 
sword,  and  I never  approached  it  that  I didn’t  feel  its  sharp 
blades  cutting  asunder  the  very  joint  and  marrow  and  soul 
and  spirit.  To  a great  many,  the  reading  of  this  text  is 
nothing  more  than  the  applying  of  the  sound,  but  to  others 
and  to  me,  while  this  text  was  once  a two-edged  sword,  now 
it  is  the  sweetest  bread  Heaven  ever  gave  me.  I announce 
at  this  point  that  I don’t  propose  to  preach  on  sanctification. 

I don’t  expect  to  touch  any  controversial  point,  any  contro- 
verted dogmas  and  views.  I am  going  to  preach  on  old- 
fashioned  righteousness  and  the  life  of  the  really  converted 
man.  I’m  going  to  preach  on  every-day  religion.  I shall 
not  get  up  as  high  as  sanctification,  though  I believe  in  it 
with  all  my  heart,  and  I believe  that  without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord,  and  if  you  ask  me  why  I believe 
that,  I tell  you  just  because  the  Bible  says  so,  and  I don’t 
want  any  better  reason  for  anything  than  that  “ God  says.” 


EVERY-DAY  RELIGION. 


IO9 


A SCRIPTURAL  CLIMAX. 

Now,  this  text  is  the  climax  of  that  preceding,  and  we 
can  only  reach  this  great  climatical  point  as  we  may  come 
np  through  the  context.  And  may  God  help  me  to  preach 
this  text  to-day.  I would  rather  partially  fail  on  this  text 
than  succeed  on  many  other  texts  on  the  word  of  God.  A 
clear  exegesis,  a scriptural  understanding  of  this  text  to-day, 
must  benefit  every  man  here,  and  every  woman  here, 
whether  you  profess  to  be  Christians  or  not.  And  now  I 
turn  to  the  context,  beginning  with  the  first  verse,  and  I 
read  this : 

1.  Behold,  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us, 
that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God : therefore  the  world  knoweth 
us  not  because  it  knew  him  not. 

2.  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear. 

And  so  on. 

The  first  announcement  of  the  text  is  the  princely  charac- 
ter of  the  Christian  man. 

Now  are  we  the  sons  of  God. 

What  a blessed  realization  this  is  to  poor,  weak  human- 
ity. And,  thank  God  ! The  sentiment  of  the  song  is  but 
the  truth  of  God’s  words  when  we  sing : 

I’m  a child  of  the  King, 

My  father  is  rich  in  houses  and  lands. 

Every  Christian  man  must  realize,  first,  I am  a son  of  the 
Lord  God  Almighty.  He  is  my  father.  I am  his  child 
It  is  worth  a great  deal  to  a man,  brother,  to  know  and  be. 
conscious  of  the  fact  that  he  belongs  to  a noble  family. 
It  is  worth  a great  deal  to  any  ma  n to  know  that  the  blood 
which  courses  through  his  veins  is  as  pure  and  good  as  ever 
flowed  through  human  veins.  It  is  worth  a good  deal  to  a 
boy  to  know  that  his  father  was  a princely  good  man.  It 
is  worth  a great  deal  to  a boy  to  look  back  with  the  con- 


I IO 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


sciousness,  “ My  mother  was  one  of  the  purest  women  that 
ever  lived.”  In  fact,  many  a hoy  has  drifted  to  the  very 
verge  of  destruction  in  his  waywardness  and  dissipation, 
and  in  some  thoughtful  moment  a kind  friend  has  ap- 
proached him  and  laid  his  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  said  : 

My  friend!  Young  man  ! Why  will  you  dissipate  and 
why  will  you  go  so  far  in  sin  ? My  precious  young  man, 
your  mother  was  one  of  the  most  princely  women  I ever 
knew.  Your  father  was  a noble  Christian  man”  And  the 
boy  has  walked  off  alone  and  buried  his  face  in  his  hands 
and  wept  like  a child  as  he  said  : “ My  mother  was  one  of 
the  fpurest  women  earth  ever  knew.  My  father  was  a 
noble,  princely  man.  And  to-day  I reform  my  life  and 
serve  my  mother’s  God  and  follow  my  father’s  Christ.” 

THE  MISSISSIPPI  AGNOSTIC. 

I once  knew  a man  in  the  State  of  Mississippi ; he  was 
an  elegant  man,  some  fifty  years  old,  an  elegant,  cultured 
gentleman.  He  was  what  we  call  an  agnostic,  or  infidel. 
After  the  meeting  had  progressed  several  days  he  stood  up 
one  morning  in  the  vast  congregation  and  he  said  : “ My 

fellow-citizens:  I have  roamed  over  all  the  range  of  science 
and  literature.  I have  never  found  rest  to  my  soul,  and  to- 
day my  mind  turns  back  to  the  purest,  sweetest  mother  a 
boy  ever  had.  My  mind  goes  back  to  my  precious  father 
and  the  family  altar  and  the  sacred  conversations  at  home, 
and  I stand  up  to-day  to  confess  my  sins  and  give  my  life  to 
Christ.” 

Ah  me ! if  we  realize  who  we  are,  then  that  will  help  us 
to  be  what  we  ought  to  be. 

A certain  one  of  the  crowned  heads  of  an  Eastern  country 
turned  his  son  over  to  a tutor  to  train  and  educate.  He  was 
an  unruly  boy,  some  twelve  years  of  age,  and  the  great 


EVERY-DAY  RELIGION. 


Ill 


question  of  the  tutor  was : “ How  will  I manage  this  boy  ? 

I can  not  use  a rod  on  the  king’s  son.  How  am  I to 
manage  him?”  And,  finally,  he  adopted  this  plan:  He 
made  a bow  of  ribbon  and  bound  it  on  the  lapel  of  the 
boy’s  coat.  The  boy  turned  to  the  tutor  and  said : “ What 

does  that  mean  ? ” The  tutor  said  : “ That  is  the  sign  of 

your  royal  character.  That  is  the  sign  that  you  are  the  son 
of  a king.  That  is  the  emblem  of  your  royal  character.” 
And  ever  after  that  when  the  boy  misbehaved  the  teacher 
pointed  his  finger  to  the  badge,  and  the  boy  subsided  in  a 
moment  and  begged  pardon  for  his  rudeness.  And  St.  Paul 
says : “ I carry  about  with  me  the  marks  of  the  Lord  J esus 

Christ,  and  when  the  good  spirit  of  Christ  drops  his  finger 
on  the  mark  I stop  all  that  is  evil  and  weep  my  life  away  for 
having  grieved  God’s  love. 

THE  PRINCELY  CHARACTER  OF  CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 

Here  Mr.  Jones  referred  to  the  visit  of  Prince  Edward  of 
England  to  this  country,  to  the  wish  expressed  that  while 
here  he  vrould  behave  liimseif  as  became  his  rank,  and 
to  the  general  verdict  of  ’ approval  of  his  conduct  while  in 
America,  and  said: 

How,  I may  not  and  can  not  announce  that  I am  the  son  of 
Queen  Victoria  of  England,  but,  blessed  be  God  ! I am  the 
son  of  Lord  God  Almighty,  and  I am  heir  apparent  to  all 
things.  And  when  I walk  out  before  the  world,  and  make 
the  declaration,  the  world  greets  me,  and  replies : “ How 

we  expect  something  of  you.  We  want  you  to  talk  like  a 
prince,  to  give  like  a prince,  to  act  as  a prince,  to  go  where 
princes  ought  to  go,  and  stay  away  from  where  princes 
ought  not  to  go.  We  want  you  to  behave  as  a worthy 
member  of  the  family  to  wThich  you  belong,”  and,  brethren, 
the  highest  aim  of  a Christian’s  heart  is  to  worthily  magnify 


I 12 


SAM  JONES'  SERMONS. 


the  name  of  the  family  to  which  he  belongs,  and  oh,  how 
it  ought  to  he  the  chief  desire  of  all  Christian  hearts  never 
to  bring  reproach  or  shame  upon  the  name  of  the  family  of 
God. 

One  of  the  purest  of  men,  your  noble  bishop,  who  died 
in  your  midst,  in  one  of  his  sermons,  said  this  : “ Shortly 

after  I joined  the  church, : 55  he  said,  “I  was  riding  along, 
when  this  thought  impressed  me  : 4 1 am  now  a member  of 
the  Church  of  Christ,  and  I have  it  in  my  power  to  bring 
reproach  and  shame  upon  the  name  and  cause  of  Christ.5  5? 
Said  he,  “ When  that  thought  possessed  me,  it  over- 
whelmed me.  Oh,  what  a fearful  power  delegated  to  mor- 
tal man ! Power  to  bring  reproach  and  shame  upon  the 
cause  of  Christ.  And,55  said  he,  “ the  prayer  that  I lifted 
up  from  my  heart,  was,  4 God  help  me  to  die  rather  than 
bring  a stain  upon  the  family  of  God  and  the  name  of 
Christ.5  55 

When  you  walk  out  before  the  world  with  this  announce- 
ment made : “I  am  the  child  of  the  king.  I am  heir 
apparent  to  all  things,55  the  world  doffs  its  hat,  and  says  to 
you  : “We  expect  you  to  live  like  one,55  and  I am  very 
glad  this  world  will  not  compromise  Christian  people  down 
to  the  point  where  they  will  willingly  let  us  do  like  they 
do.  I am  glad  that  no  wicked  man  every  sees  a professing 
Christian  doing  anything  wrong  that  he  doesn’t  point  the  Un- 
ger of  scorn  at  him,  and  say : “ Just  look  at  that  professing 

Christian.  He  dishonors  his  God,  and  disgraces  himself.55 
I say  I am  glad  the  world  thinks  more  of  Christ,  and 
thinks  more  of  Christianity,  than  to  let  us  Christian  people 
misrepresent  the  gospel,  and  misrepresent  Christ,  without 
throwing  it  in  our  teeth,  and  telling  us  to  our  face  : “ We 
believe  you  are  hypocrites.55  I am  glad  of  that. 


EVERY-DAY  RELIGION. 


113 


A MERCIFUL  DIVINE  FATHER. 

And  then  after  a profession  like  this  it  behooves  ns  to  be 
grateful  for  the  redeeming  mercy  and  condescending  grace 
that  would  adopt  us  into  the  heavenly  family.  It  behooves 
us  then  to  lead  a pure  life  and  stainless  character  before 
God  and  men. 

Now  are  we  the  sons  of  God — 

It  isn’t  by  and  by.  It  isn ’t  when  I am  bidding  earth  and 
friends  goodby,  and  pluming  myself  for  flight  to  glory  and 
God,  but  it  is  down  in  the  world  of  temptation  and  trial. 
Every  morning,  noon  and  night,  I may  fall  on  my  knees 
and  say,  “ My  Father,  which  art  in  Heaven.”  I can  explain 
my  existence  on  no  other  hypothesis  than  thatj  God  is  my 
father. 

I was  getting  on  a railroad  train  some  months  ago  in  my 
State,  and  a gentleman  boarded  the  train  at  one  of  the  stations, 
and  after  shaking  hands  and  talking  a moment  I asked  him 
the  news.  “ Well,”  he  said,  “ nothing  special  I believe,  ex- 
cept I came  very  near  being  killed  last  night.”  Said  I, 
u how  was  that?  ” Said  he,  “ the  agent  at  the  depot  in  our 
town  was  lying  on  the  platform  of  the  depot,  drunk.  He 
had  been  drunk  several  days.  I went  up  to  him  to  help  him 
into  the  depot,  and  when  I did  so  he  jerked  out  his  pistol 
and  shot  at  me  twice,  and  came  very  near  hitting  me.” 
“ Well,”  said  I,  “ do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  agent  at  the 
depot  in  your  town  had  been  drunk  for  several  days?” 
Why,  said  I,  “ the  officers  of  this  road  are  very  strict  with 
their  employes.  How  is  it  this  man. maintains  his  position 
if  he  drinks  that  way  ? ” Said  the  gentleman,  “ I can’t  tell 
you,  sir,  only  this  man,  this  agent,  is  brother-in-law  to  the 
president  of  the  road.”  Well,  when  he  said  that,  I saw  it 
all  in  a moment,  and  then  I said  to  myself  : “ How  is  it  God 
8 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


114 

puts  up  with  me  as  he  does  ?”  “How  is  it  God  has  borne 
with  me  as  he  has  ? 55  And  I found  the  answer  is  this : 
Not  because  God  was  my  brother-in-law,  but  because  God 
was  my  father ; and  isn’t  it  astonishing  how  God  will  bear 
with  his  children? 

A LESSON-  FROM  THE  NURSE  GIRL. 

I learned  a great  lesson  in  my  relations  toward  God  in  a 
little  incident  that  happened  at  my  own  home.  We  had  in 
our  employ  a colored  servant  girl  nursing  for  us.  She  was 
rather  a careless,  indifferent  servant.  I was  sitting  in  the 
room  one  morning  just  after  breakfast  and  this  girl  walked 
in  and  my  wife  said  : “ Sally,  you  can  go  to  your  home  this 

morning,  and  tell  your  mother  to  come  over  after  awhile 
and  I will  pay  your  wages  to  her.  I don’t  want  you  any 
longer,  Sally,  you  may  go.”  I looked  up  from  my  book 
and  the  girl  stood  there,  full  face  toward  my  wife,  and  the 
tears  commenced  running  down  her  cheek,  and  directly  she 
turned  to  my  wife  and  she  says : “ Mrs.  Jones,  please 

ma’am,  don’t  turn  me  off.  I know  I’m  the  poorest  servant 
you  ever  had,  but  I don’t  want  to  be  turned  off.  Please 
ma’am,  keep  me.”  I commenced  to  beg  for  the  poor  girl, 
and  said:  “Wife,  bear  with  her  a little  while  longer.” 
And  then  I thought  to  myself:  “If  the  Lord  Jesus  w^ere 
to  come  down  this  morning  and  discharge  me  and  tell  me, 
4 1 don’t  want  you  any  longer,’  I would  fall  down  at  his 
feet  and  say  : ‘ Blessed  Savior,  don’t  turn  me  off.  I know 

I am  the  poorest  servant  you  ever  had,  but,  blessed  Christ, 
keep  me  in  thy  life  employ.’  ” 

Oh,  blessed  Christ ! So  good  to  us ! So  merciful  to  us  ! 
Ah,  brother : 

When  all  thy  mercies,  oh,  my  Lord, 

My  rising  soul  surveys, 

Transported  by  the  view,  I’m  lost 
In  wonder,  love  and  praise. 


EVERY-DAY  RELIGION. 


IIS 


Oh,  after  love  like  this, 

Let  rocks  and  hills  their  silence  break, 

And  all  harmonious  human  tongues 
Their  Savior’s  praises  speak. 

Herein  is  love ; not  that  we  loved  Him,  but  that  He  loved  us  and  gave 
His  own  Son  to  die  for  us. 

God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son — 
that  every  child  of  Heaven  might  he  adopted  into  the 
heavenly  family  and  become  an  heir  of  immortal  life.  Ah, 
sister,  look  up  to-day,  and  see  your  father’s  face  as  it  shines 
in  beauty  and  love  and  mercy,  and  say : “ Abba ! father  ! 
my  Lord  and  my  God  ! ” And’then  realizing  your  princely 
character  ever  after  this, 

Let  your  life  and  lips  express 
The  holy  Gospel  you  profess. 

PURITY  OF  CHARACTER. 

And  then  I turn  to  the  second  feature  of  the  text,  and  I 
read  it  this  way : 

2.  How  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be;  but  we  know  that  when  He  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  Him, 
for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is. 

3.  And  he  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth  himself  even  as  Christ 
is  pure. 

The  Christian  character  is  pure.  There  is  a great  deal 
said  about  life  purity  and  heart  purity  in  the  Word  of  God. 
The  Christian  is  pure  in  his  life  and  pure  in  his  character- 
The  Book  says : 

Blessed  is  the  man  unto  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not  iniquity,  and  in 
whose  spirit  there  is  no  guile. 

A guileless  man!  A guileless  woman!  A guileless  hus- 
band ! A guileless  wife  ! A guileless  child ! A purity 
like  the  character  of  the  little  ermine,  that  beautiful,  fastid- 
ious little  animal,  with  its  hair  and  skm  almost  as  white  as 
the  driven  snow,  and  the  only  way  to  capture  it  with  its 
cunning,  is  to  mark  its  course  from  its  home,  and  then 


1 16 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


sprinkle  mud  and  dirt  along  its  pathway,  and  wlien  the  little 
ermine  reaches  in  its  pathway  to  where  the  muddy  water 
and  dirt  are  placed,  it  will  lie  down  and  subject  itself  to 
capture  and  death  before  it  will  smirch  or  soil  one  of  its 
snow-white  hairs.  And  so  the  true  Christian  has  reached 
his  highest  aims  when  he  reaches  a point  where  he  will  lie 
down  and  subject  himself  to  torture  and  death  before  he 
will  smirch  his  character  as  a Christian  man.  That’s  the 
Christian  character — princely  in  nature  and  pure  in  charac- 
ter. • 

THREE  DELIVERANCES. 

Brethren,  sooner  or  later  we  must  meet  this  point,  that 
God’s  people  are  a peculiar  people  and  God’s  people  are  a 
pure  people.  Sooner  or  later  we  must  meet  this  in  our  con- 
victions, in  our  intelligent  thought;  and  I say  to  you  all 
to-day  that  there  is  no  theological  book  in  any  theological 
library  in  the  country,  Protestant  in  its  character,  that  puts 
salvation  this  side  of  these  three  principles.  Salvation,  says 
all  Protestant  theology,  is  deliverance  from  the  guilt  of  sin; 
deliverance  from  the  love  of  sin,  and  deliverance  from  the 
dominion  of  sin.  And  I declare  to  you  to-day  that  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  either  adequate  to  reach  the 
depths  of  human  depravity,  or  we  misunderstand  that  Gos- 
pel. 

I am  ready  to  take  this  position  and  defy  earth  and  hell 
equally  upon  it.  Jesus  is  able  to  do  for  me  and  you  all 
that  we  need  to  have  done,  and  if  that  is  true,  then  God 
knows  I need  to  be  delivered  from  sin,  its  dominion,  its  love 
and  its  guilt.  Now,  when  I am  delivered  from  the  guilt  of 
sin,  I have  got  to  that  point  in  the  Christian  life  reached  by 
Bunyan’s  pilgrim  when  he  walks  to  the  cross,  and  the  bur- 
den rolls  from  his  conscience,  and  he  stands  upright  before 


EVERY-DAY  RELIGION. 


ii  7 

God.  But,  brother,  that  is  not  sufficient.  The  mere  par- 
doning power  that  would  leave  me  as  I was  doesn’t  amount 
to  much.  I not  only  want  to  be  pardoned  for  my  past  sins, 
but  I want  to  be  cleansed  from  all  unrighteousness. 

In  every  thought  renewed, 

And  full  of  life  divine, 

Perfect  and  right  and  pure  and  good, 

Lord  keep  me  ever  thine. 

If  I had  but  one  prayer  between  this  and  eternity,  I 
would  pour  out  my  soul  in  this  one  petition : “ God,  give 
me  a pure  heart  and  pure  life — the  purity  of  Christian 
character.” 

THE  LOATHING  OF  SIN. 

I don’t  consider  any  man  safe  here  or  hereafter  until  he 
is  delivered  from  the  love  of  those  things  that  are  wrong. 
There  is  no  attitude  toward  God  that  is  acceptable  to  Him 
except  the  attitude  that  turns  with  loathing  away  from  sin. 
Let  me  illustrate  what  I mean : Here’s  a mother  sitting 
quietly  within  her  room.  Her  only  child,  little  Willie,  just 
four  years  old,  the  pride  of  her  heart  and  the  joy ^of  her  life, 
sees  mamma’s  little  pearl-liandled  pen-knife  lying  on  the  table. 
That  little  knife  is  the  present  of  a friend,  and  mother 
values  it  highly.  Little  Willie,  unknown  to  mother,  picks 
up  the  little  knife  and  runs  out  of  the  room,  and  in  an  hour 
mother  wonders  where  he  is,  and  directly  the  nurse  comes 
in  hurriedly  and  says  : “ Little  Willie  is  lying  all  bloody  in 
the  front  flower  yard,”  and  mother  rushes  out  there,  and 
there  is  little  Willie  just  gasping  and  breathing  his  last.  He 
stubbed  his  little  foot  and  fell  and  the  blade  pierced  the 
jugular  vein.  The  mother  grabs  the  little  bloody  angel  in 
her  arms  and  runs  into  the  room  and  just  as  she  lays  him  on 
the  little  bed  he  breathes  his  last,  and  the  mother  kisses  her 
child  and  says:  “ Sweet  Willie,  just  speak  one  more  time.” 


1 18 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Next  day,  mother  carries  little  Willie  to  the  grave  and 
buries  him  and  comes  back  to  her  home  with  broken  heart,, 
and  as  she  sits  down  and  turns  back  the  dark  veil,  the  nurse 
comes  out  of  the  front  yard  and  says : “ Madam,  here’s  the 
little  knife.  Here’s  your  little  pearl-handled  knife.”  The 
mother  looks  at  the  knife  and  its  blade  all  covered  with 
the  blood  of  her  sweet  child,  and  she  shrinks  back  in  horror 
and  says,  “ Take  that  knife  out  of  my  presence.  I never 
want  to  see  it  again.  It  has  the  blood  of  my  precious  child 
upon  it.”  And  when  a Christian  man  or  woman,  under  the 
light  of  God’s  Holy  Spirit,  can  see  that  every  sin  in  all  the 
moral  universe  of  God  has  been  covered  with  the  blood  of 
the  Son  of  God,  then  he  shrinks  back  in  horror  and  says : 
“ Oh ! take  it  out  of  my  presence.  It  is  covered  with  the 
precious  blood  of  my  bleeding  Savior.”  Oh,  brother,  you 
will  never  know  what  piety  is  until  you  see  all  impurity 
bathed  in  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  Oh,  let  us  hate  sin 
and  abhor  it,  and  turn  away  from  it  and  despise  it  utterly. 

IMPERVIOUSNESS  TO  SIN. 

And  now  for  a few  moments  : 

He  that  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin,  for  His  seed  remaineth  in 
him  and  he  can  not  sin  because  he  is  born  of  God. 

We  have  had  firstly,  the  princely  character  of  the  Chris- 
tian, and,  secondly,  his  purity  of  character,  and  now  we 
come  to  the  climax  of  the  text,  the  imperviousness  of  the 
Christian  character  to  sin. 

Now,  if  I were  to  say  right  here  that  an  honest  man  can 
not  steal,  everybody  would  say,  “ That  is  true.”  If  I were 
to  say  a sober  man  can  not  get  drunk,  they  would  say, 
“ That’s  a fact.”  If  I were  to  say  a chaste  man  can  not  be 
vulgar,  they  would  say,  “ That  is  true.”  Well,  now, 
brother,  if  a truthful  man  as  a truthful  man  can  not  tell  a 


EVERY-DAY  RELIGION. 


I 19 

lie,  and  an  honest  man  as  an  honest  man  can  not  steal,  and 
a sober  man  as  a sober  man  can  not  get  drunk,  if  logic  is 
worth  anything  and  common  sense  and  religion  will  mix  up 
together  at  all,  then  I say,  is  there  anything  unreasonable 
in  the  proposition  that: 

He  that  is  horn  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin. 

Don’t  you  see  ? 

He  that  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin,  because  His  seed  remaineth 
in  him. 

Now,  there’s  the  gist  of  the  whole  matter.  There’s 
the  pivotal  point  in  the  whole  text : 

Because  His  seed  remaineth  in  him. 

It  is  a moral  “can’t;”  not  a physical  “can’t.”  Now  sup- 
pose some  man  had  said  to  me  this  morning  when  I got  up, 
“ Brother  Tudor  came  here  last  night  and  stole  your  watch 
and  clothes,  and  has  run  away.”  I would  look  the  man  in 
the  face  and  say,  “ Brother  Tudor  can  not  steal  my  watch 
and  clothes.”  I don’t  mean  that  he  could  not  have 
walked  out  on  the  street  and  gone  into  my  room  and  car- 
ried off  these  things  as  a physical  act,  but  I say,  “It  is 
against  his  principle  and  against  his  interest  and  against 
his  conviction  and  against  his  desires  and  purposes  and 
everything,  and  I just  know  he  didn’t  do  it.” 

There’s  a man  with  the  love  and  respect  of  everybody  in 
St.  Louis,  and  with  no  interest  at  all  for  stealing  anything 
from  me,  and  I just  know  he  couldn’t  do  it ; and  if  every 
man  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis  was  like  him,  we  could  quit 
shutting  our  front  doors  at  night  and  throw  all  our  keys 
away,  and  just  close  up  our  sheriff’s  institution  and  every 
jail  and  calaboose  in  this  city.  Ain’t  that  so?  It  is  like  a 
train  when  you  see  it  going  thundering  along  the 'track  to- 
ward Kansas  City  ; you  know  it  isn’t  going  to  St.  Louis  be- 
cause all  its  momentum  is  the  other  way.  <And  when  a man’s 
momentum  and  desires  and  purposes  and  intentions  are  set 


120 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Heavenward,  with  all  the  power  that  God  can  give  him, 
then  he  can’t  go  to  Hell. 

TOO  FOND  OF  REAL  ESTATE. 

How  you  know  that  line  you  sing  : 

Surely  the  Captain  may  depend  on  me. 

How  few  of  us  the  Lord  can  depend  on,  and  how  few^can 
He  trust  with  money  ! You  hear  men  confessing  every  sin 
except  that  of  avarice.  I never  heard  of  anything  of  that 
sort  in  the  church,  never.  There  are  men  in  this  town,  and, 
I expect  some  men  in  this  house,  that  if  God  were  to  check  on 
you  to-day  for  $100  or  $1,000  for  some  good  cause,  you 
would  let  that  check  go  to  ^protest,  and  swear  you  didn’t 
have  the  money.  (Laughter.)  And  yet  if  you  could  go 
down  here  on  a certain  corner  and  buy  a piece  of  property 
at  33  per  cent  discount,  you  would  give  a cash  check  for 
every  dollar  of  it.  (Laughter.)  And  God  keeps  books  and 
he’ll  put  your  sort  in  Hell  by  and  by  for  lying,  if  you  never 
do  anything  else  wrong.  (Sensation.) 

Mr.  Jones’  last  illustration  was  that  of  a beautiful  tract 
of  river  land,  so  covered  with  noble  timber  that  it  would 
be  impossible  to  raise  any  other  crop  in  their  shade,  and  he 
said  that  where  God’s  grace  and  the  desire  to  live  a right 
life  tilled  a man’s  heart,  there  could  be  no  room  for  the 
devil.  Said  he : 

The  idea  of  the  divine  spirit  taking  possession  of  our 
hearts  means  about  this:  My  time  and  life  and  hands  and 
feet  and  tongue  all  belong  to  God.  I never  intend  to  work 
for  the  devil.  I have  no  time.  Here’s  a fellow  goes  over 
to  one  of  these  ladies  and  says : 

“ Can  you  go  to  the  theater  with  me  to-night?  ” 

“ No.” 

“ Why  not  ? ” 


EVERY-DAY  RELIGION. 


12 1 


“ Well,  this  is  my  night  for  visiting  the  sick.55 

“ Will  you  go  to-morrow  night? 55 

“ No.55 

“Why?” 

“ Because  to-morrow  night  is  our  Bible  lesson  night,  when 
myself  and  children  study  the  lesson  for  Sunday.55 

“ Howt  about  the  night  after  that  ? 55 

“ I can’t  go  that  night  either.  That’s  prayer  meeting 
night,  and  I never  miss  prayer  meeting.” 

“ Will  you  go  the  next  night?  ” 

“ That’s  the  night  we  meet  at  the  church  parlor  to  study 
the  Sunday  school  lesson.” 

“ Well,  now,  when  will  you  go  ? ” 

“ I don’t  know  any  night  I can  give  you  in  the  next 
thousand  years.  I might  hx  up  one  a thousand  years  from 
now,  but  I haven’t  any  night  in  a thousand  years  that  I can 
giv.e  for  that.” 

Don’t  you  see  ? That  lady  has  got  where  she’s  worth 
something  to  God  and  worth  nothing  to  the  devil. 

Oh,  Lord,  give  us  that  sort  of  religion  all  over  this  coun- 
try. Amen. 

REJOICING  OVER  A PROHIBITION  VICTORY. 

The  sermon  proper  concluded  with  the  story  of  Job’s 
trials  and  triumphs.  After  the  announcements  for  the  day, 
Mr.  Jones  read  the  following  telegram : 

Atlanta,  Ga.,  November  26. — To  Sam.  W.  Small,  St.  Louis  : Halle- 
lujah! ’Tis  done.  Prohibition  victorious  by  232  majority  in  this  city. 

(Tremendous  applause.) 


122 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


We  invite  your  attention  to  three  words  to  be  found 
in  the  first  verse  of  the  eighth  chapter  of  St.  Paul’s  Epistle 
to  the  Romans.  I will  read  the  whole  verse  : 

There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

These  are  the  three  words: 

In  Christ  Jesus — 

— who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  hut  after  the  spirit. 

In  the  verses  of  the  preceding  chapter,  St.  Paul  goes 
into  a psychological  analysis  of  the  law  of  God  and  its  bear- 
ings upon  the  conscience  and  conduct.  We  will  read  a few 
of  these  verses.  (Here  Mr.  Jones  read  from  the  seventh 
chapter  of  Romans,  verses  14  to  24.) 

The  law,  said  Blackstone,  is  a rule  of  action  prescribed  by 
the  supreme  power  of  the  State,  commanding  what  is  right 
and  prohibiting  what  is  wrong.  The  law  is  a rule ; the  law 
is  a line ; the  law  is  a straight-edge.  And  the  law  of  God 
may  map  out,  and  does  map  out,  a rule  of  action,  but  has 
nothing  in  itself  to  give  me  an  inspiration  that  would  in- 
cline me  to  walk  upon  it  and  to  walk  straightly  by  it.  The 
law  of  God  in  this  sense  is  a mirror  and  simply  a mirror. 
A mirror  placed  before  my  form  would  reveal  any  'defects 
of  my  face,  any  mud  or  smut,  and  I might  see  plainly  the 
defects  and  I might  plainly  see  the  mud  and  smut,  but  if  I 
wanted  to  wash  it  off  I could  not  wash  it  off  with  a mirror. 
The  mirror  would  simply  show  me  it  is  there  and  has  no 
power  to  remove  it.  The  law  of  God  reveals  my  defects. 
It  shows  me  how  crooked  I am,  without  any  power  in  the 
world  to  straighten  me.  And  the  man  who  sees  right,  the 
man  who  admits  that  the  rule  is  right  and  straight,  and  at 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


123 


the  same  time  has  no  inspiration,  no  power  within  him,  no 
help  within  him  to  keep  him  on  this  straight  line,  realizes 
just  what  Paul  did  when  he  said: 

Oh,  wretched  man  that  I am ! Who  will  deliver  me  from  this  body  of 
death? 

THE  DEAD  BODY  OF  SIFT. 

Who  will  take  and  loose  from  me  this  dead  body  that  is 
chained  to  me  and  carry  it  away  from  me  ? The  memories 
of  my  imperfections,  my  frailties,  my  shortcomings,  are  like 
a body  of  death  chained  to  me.  They  are  a weight  of  guilt. 
And  the  offensive  odors  of  past  sins  are  indeed  like  a dead 
body  chained  to  a man.  Now,  our  Savior  lifts  the  curtain. 
The  book  lifts  the  curtain.  Further  along  it  tells  us  that : 

Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth* 

It  tells  us  again  that  with  faith  unfeigned  and  a pure  con- 
science we  may  know  what  it  is  to  be — 

In  Christ  Jesus  a new  creature. 

Now,  understand  that  depravity  I never  discuss  at  all,  as 
to  whether  it  is  partial  or  total ; whether  it  is  simply  innate 
or  developed.  We  say  nothing  about  it.  But  I meet  every 
man  on  the  face  of  this  earth,  and  look  him  in  the  eye  and 
tell  him : “ Naturally,  innately,  you  have  meanness  enough 
in  you  to  damn  you,  and  I don’t  know  what  a fellow  wants 
with  any  more  than  that.  He  is  greedier  than  I have  ever 
been  if  he  wants  any  more  than  that.  Whether  it  is  partial 
or  total,  I have  no  capacity,  may  be,  and  I am  satisfied  no 
time  or  inclination,  to  discuss.  Now,  before  us  we  have  a 
straight  line,  and  we  all  admit  w^e  can  not  walk  on  it,  and 
heaven  is  just  at  the  other  end  of  that  straight  line  for  every 
one  of  us.  Now,  some  people  propose  to  dodge  and  shirk 
and  beat  round  and  come  out  all  right.  Well  now,  if  you  can 
tell  me  how  a man  can  take  a short  cut  on  a straight  road, 
then  I’ll  be  able  to  tell  something  about  how  a fellow  can 


124 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


whip  round  and  jerk  round  and  come  out  even  at  the  end 
I could  sort  of  understand  it  then.  (Laughter.)  But  straight 
is  the  gate,  and  straight  is  the  line,  and  straight  is  the  way, 
and  there’s  no  right  cuts  on  a straight  road  that  I know  any- 
thing about.  (Laughter.) 

A NOTABLE  CONCLUSION. 

And  St.  Paul  reaches  the  conclusion  that  I wish  we 
would  all  reach  to-night.  This  seventh  chapter  of  Romans 
is  full  of  mystery,  and  I think  with  the  preacher  who  said 
that  if  we  had  gotten  out  of  the  seventh  chapter  of  Romans 
into  the  eighth,  the  devil  would  get  us  all.  I think  that  he 
was  about  right.  And  now  we  come  to  the  first  verse  of 
the  eighth  chapter : 

There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

“In  Christ -Jesus.”  Being  “in  Christ  Jesus”  and  having 
“Christ  in  you”  are  interchangeable  terms  in  Scripture. 

Having  Christ  in  you,  form  the  hope  of  glory, 
is  one  way  to  put  it.  Another  is : 

If  any  man  he  in  Christ  Jesus  he  is  a new  creature. 

Our  Savior  amplified  the  thought  when  He  said : 

Behold  I stand  at  the  door  and  knock.  If  you  will  open  unto  me  I will 
come  in  and  sup  with  you. 

Oh,  blessed  thought!  Christ  my  guest ! I am  ashamed 
of  what  I have  to  offer  him.  I am  ashamed  of  the  table  I 
set  him  down  to.  I am  ashamed  of  every  thing  in  the 
home  I invite  him  into.  But  he  sits  there,  and  he  is  my 
guest  but  a moment  until  he  stands  up  and  says:  “How 
you  be  my  guest  and  I will  be  host.”  Oh,  what  a privi- 
lege, to  sit  at  a table  with  Christ  as  host,  and  have  him  feed 
us  on  Heaven’s  bread  and  angels’  food. 

In  Christ  Jesus. 

If  you  be  in  Christ  Jesus  you  are  a new  creature,  if  he 
form  in  you  the  hope  of  glory.  I want  to  say  that  it  is 


WALKING  WI^H  CHRIST. 


125 


peculiarly  true  of  Christianity  that  we  need  a Christ.  Not  a 
Christ  of  history ; not  a Christ  of  eighteen  hundred  ^years 
ago ; not  a Christ  on  Calvary ; but  we  need  a present  a bid- 
ing Christ.  You  can  run  Mormonism  with  Joe  Smith  and 
Brigham  Young  in  their  graves ; it  goes  right  on.  You 
can  run  Confucianism  without  Confucius.  But  you  can’t  run 
Christianity  without  Christ.  This  Christianity  is  the  per- 
sonal living  embodiment  of  Christ.  And  the  question 
comes  up  there,  and  it  is  the  question  of  this  nineteenth 
century:  Who  is  Christ?  .^What  is  Christ?  Do  you  know 
there  have  been  more  lives  of  Christ  written  since  I was 
born  than  were  ever  written  before  I was  born.  In  the  last 
thirty-eight  years  there  have  been  written  more  lives  of 
Christ  than  in  all  the  past  ages  since  he  walked  among  men. 
Isn’t  that  a singular  fact!  Isn’t  it  carrying  out  the  thought 
expressed  by  him : 

And  1,  if  I be  lifted  up,  will  draw  all  things  unto  me. 

WHO  IS  CHRIST? 

Who  is  Christ?  what  is  Christ?  this  world  has  always 
been  eager  to  know  and  eager  to  see.  Thousands  of  years 
ago,  when  the  people  of  this  old  world  groped  in  darkness 
and  mingled  as  orphans  at  one  tomb,  they  grew  restless  and 
turned  their  eyes  up  in  the  darkened  heavens  and  bent  their 
ear  upward,  and  almost  in  the  language  of  despair  they  said, 
“ Oh,  tell  us  who  thou  art,  thou  great  infinite  one.  Are  we 
here  simply  by  accident,  or  is  there  a great  first  cause? 
Tell  us  who  thou  art.”  And  as  they  eagerly  listened 
a voice  issued  out  from  the  darkness — a still,  small  voice — 
and  answered  back,  “I  am.”  They  caught  it  up  and  re- 
peated it — “I  am.”  They  said,  u Here  is  some  light,  but 
oh,  how  dark  it  is.” 

And  the  world  groped  on  in  darkness  for  centuries,  and 
by  and  by,  restless  and  nervous  and  impatient,  they  turned 


126 


SAM  JONES  SERMONS. 


their  faces  back  up  to  heaven  and  bent  their  ear  and  cried 
again,  “ Oh  tell  ns  who  thou  art,  what  thou  art  to  us!” 
And  the  voice  answered  back : “I  am  what  I am.  I am 
that  I am.”  And  they  caught  it  up  and  said:  “I  am  that 
I am.  Here’s  a little  more  light.  We  are  thankful  for 
any  light.  Oh,  how  dark  it  is.” 

And  by  and  by  the  earth  grew  restless  and  rushed  right 
up  on  one  who  was  speaking,  and  they  said : “ Be  quiet. 
Let  us  see  what  he  says.”  And  he  answered  and  said  : “ I 
am  ” — and  they  caught  it  up,  “ I am.”  We  have  heard  that 
before.  Listen,  we  will  get  a light  now.  “ I am.”  Every- 
thing and  everybody  be  quiet.  Let  us  hear  him  speak,  and 
he  said : “ I am  the  way.”  “ Oh,  ye  lost  men  that  have 
been  wandering  in  the  wilderness  for  hundreds  of  years 
hear  him  speak ! Here’s  a thoroughfare,  a highway,  a road 
we  may  walk  in.  Oh,  ye  lost  men  of  earth  come  into  this 
way  and  rejoice  that  you  are  in  a highway.” 

Listen  ! He  is  going  to  speak  again : “ I am  the  truth.” 

Oh  ! this  old  world  has  been  wrapt  in  error  thousands  of 
years,  and  now  we  are  seeing  the  truth.  We  have  not  seen 
the  truth  for  thousands  of  years.  And  now  let  us  listen; 
we  have  the  truth  from  him  who  is  the  very  embodiment 
of  truth  : “ I am  the  truth.” 

FOR  HUNGRY  SOULS. 

Listen ! He  speaks  again : “ I am  the  bread.”  Oh,  lis- 

ten, ye  hungry  souls ! Here’s  bread  enough  and  to  spare. 
Come  and  eat  and  be  satisfied. 

Listen ! He  is  speaking  again : “ I am  the  water.”  Oh, 
ye  thirsty  men  that  have  been  famishing  upon  the  desert  of 
life,  listen!  Here’s  the  living  fountain  and  ye  may  drink 
and  never  be  thirsty  any  more. 

Listen ! He  speaks  again : “ I am  the  door.”  And 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


127 


46  door  55  means  house  and  home,  and  hospitality  and  comfort. 
Oh,  ye  poor  wandering  houseless  men,  listen ! Here  is 
home  for  all  the  children  of  men. 

Listen!  He  speaks  again : “ I am  the  light.”  You  old 
world,  that  has  groped  in  darkness,  wake  up  under  this 
golden  light  and  let  them  see  just  as  God  would  have  them 
see! 

In  Christ  Jesus. 

Do  you  recollect  the  occasion  where  the  apostles  went  to 
the  Master  and  said  : “ Master,  there  is  a great  multitude  has 
been  following  us  now  for  days,  and  they  have  famished  for 
hunger ! Master,  bid  them  go  away  and  get  something  to 
eat.”  Jesus  looked  at  his  disciples — you  recollect — and  he 
said  a thing  world-wide  in  its  meaning,  and  that  has  given 
me  comfort  in  the  darkest  hours  of  my  religious  life — do 
you  recollect  what  Jesus  said?  “ They  need  not  depart. 
They  needn’t  go  away  from  me  for  anything.  You  get  out 
your  little  loaves  and  fishes  and  I will  multitply  them  until 
this  multitude  shall  be  fed  and  until  they  shall  realize  that 
around  Christ  centers  all,  and  that  he  is  all  and  in  all.” 
Blessed  be  God ! A man  need  not  go  away  from  Christ  to 
get  anything  that  is  necessary  for  him  in  time  or  necessary 
for  him  in  eternity. 

A SHORT  BIOGRAPHY. 

In  Christ  Jesus. 

Now,  with  such  a one  before  you,  I want  to  say  the  ques- 
tion comes  up,  “ Who  is  Christ  ? ” at  last.  What  is  Christ? 
That  is  the  question.  Our  finest  authors  have  written  and 
I have  been  charmed  with  Beattie  and  with  Farrar  and  with 
Young  and  with  our  best  authors  on  this  subject,  but,  broth- 
er, do  you  know  one  of  the  disciples  wrote  the  history  of 
Christ  in  a single  line — I believe  in  four  w^ords  : 

He  went  about  doing  good. 


128 


SAM  JONES*  SERMONS. 


There’s  a life  of  the  blessed  Christ  in  a single  line  of  five 
monosyllabic  utterances : 

In  Christ  Jesus. 

Well,  now,  when  we  bring  this  problem  down  to  where 
we  can  get  hold  of  it,  w^e  see  that  J esns  Christ  was  the  liv- 
ing, personal,  embodiment  of  wisdom,  and  justice  and  love 
and  mercy  and  truth  and  of  all  the  characteristics  that  make 
God  lovely.  That  is  it.  And  if  my  salvation  or  your  sal- 
vation to-night  depended  upon  our  picking  a single  flaw  in 
the  life  of  Christ,  or  picking  out  a single  utterance  of  His 
that  was  below  the  dignity  of  God,  we  would  essentially  and 
inevitably  be  damned  for  ever,  for  after  all  infidelity  has 
said  it  can  not  pick  a flaw  in  His  life  or  find  an  utterance  that 
was  below  the  dignity  of  a God. 

What  is  Christ  ? The  living  personal  embodiment  of  wis- 
dom and  justice  and  truth  and  love  and  mercy  and  forgive- 
ness and  all  those  attributes  that  make  the  character  of  God 
lovely.  That’s  it. 

Well,  now,  how  may  a man  determine  whether  he  has 
Christ  or  not?  If  he  be  in  Christ  Jesus,  then  he  is  a wise 
man  and  a just  man  and  true  man  and  forgiving  man  and 
a lovely  character.  Don’t  you  see  ? St.  Paul  said  : 

I am  crucified  with  Christ ; yet,  nevertheless,  I live.  Yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  liveth  in  me. 

That  is,  “Christ  propels  these  hands  and  feet  and  tongue 
just  as  he  did  his  own  hands  and  feet  and  tongue.”  , 

THE  SECRET  OF  CHRISTIAN  HAPPINESS. 

I die  daily. 

There  is  the  secret  of  a Christian’s  happy  life.  And  St. 
Paul  meant  by  that  about  this : “ The  first  thing  I do  in  the 
morning  when  I open  my  eyes  is  to  fall  down  on  my  knees 
and  die  to  this  world ; die  to  its  pleasures,  its  profits,  its 
fruits,  its  smiles,  its  condemnations ; die  to  its  threats ; die 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


129 


to  its  money ; die  to  all  it  can  do.”  And  when  Paul  got  up 
from  liis  knees  in  the  morning  he  was  as  dead  to  this  world 
as  he  was  afterwards  when  his  head  was  severed  from  his 
body  and  his  body  buried  out  of  the  sight  of  men.  And  a 
man  never  truly  lives  until  he  dies  in  this  sense,  and  when  a 
man  dies  in  this  sense  he  is  the  livest  man  that  ever  walked 
on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

A Christian  must  essentially  be  a wise  man.  What  is  wis- 
dom ? It  is  the  skillful  application  of  knowledge.  It  is  using 
what  I have  at  command  to  the  best  end  in  the  best  way. 
That’s  it.  Wisdom!  Wisdom!  There  are  a great  many 
knowing  men  in  this  world,  but  very  few  wise  men.  We  have 
knowledge  enough  to  run  about  four  such  worlds  as  this,  but 
haven’t  wusdom  enough  to  keep  out  of  jail  a large  class  of 
society,  and  a larger  other  class,  perhaps,  ought  to  be  there. 
(Applause  and  laughter.) 

ST.  LOUIS’  FOLLY. 

Why,  St.  Louis  hasn’t  wisdom  enough  to  run  her  town, 
and  to  save  her  soul  she  can’t  see  how  she  could  run  her  town 
if  she  were  to  shut  up  her  saloons ! Why,  it  would  increase 
our  taxes,  and  it  would  bankrupt  our  town,  and  it  would  go 
to  the  dogs.  (Applause  and  laughter.)  I want  to  see  one 
town  that  died  because  it  was  a prohibitionist  town.  I want 
to  visit  its  funeral,  or  rather  I want  to  funeralize  her.  I 
have  got  a text  I could  make  things  bounce  on  if  I could 
just  find  a town  like  that  that  died  because  she  “ went 
dry.”  Thank  God,  Atlanta,  with  her  58,000  or  60,000  in- 
habitants, yesterday  voted  this  devil’s  stuff  out  of  her  midst, 
and  I want  to  say  to  you  that  this  is  but  a quiet  speaking 
out  to  every  city  in  America.  It  is  no  longer  a question  of 
how  many  bushels  of  grain  arc  stilled  up  ; it  is  not  a question 
of  how  many  dollars  are  sunk  yearly  in  the  trade  ; it  is  not 

9 


130 


SAM  JONES*  SERMONS. 


a question  of  statistics.  It  is  a question  of  blood  and  death 
and  hell ! W e are  getting  tired.  These  wives  are  getting 
tired  seeing  their  husbands  staggering  into  drunkards*  graves. 
These  mothers  are  tired  of  seeing  their  precious  boys  de- 
bauched and  damned  and  ruined  forever.  It  is  a question 
of  blood  and  death  and  hell ! It  is  not  a question  of  how 
many  dollars  and  cents  or  how  much  grain  is  stilled  up. 
Recollect  that.  We  can  not  run  our  town  unless  we  have 
wisdom  to  do  it.  I expect  a great  many  professing  Chris- 
tians in  this  town  will  be  astonished  when  they  get  to  Heaven 
to  find  how  God  Almighty  can  run  the  Celestial  City  with- 
out a few  saloons  to  help  keep  up  the  taxes.  (Laughter  and 
applause.) 

A LITTLE  MORE  WISDOM. 

Wisdom — sense  enough,  and  the  right  use  of  sense  enough, 
to  do  the  best  thing  and  do  it  in  the  best  way.  Well,  now? 
what  is  the  wisdom  of  Christianity?  I tell  you  it  is  the  use 
of  the  best  means  to  the  best  ends.  And  I tell  you  how  I 
look  at  it.  I have  been  listening  ever  since  I was  converted^ 
and  1 want  to  say  right  here,  upon  this  point,  that  I never 
heard  a man  tell  his  experience,  and  state  in  his  experience 
some  Christian  duty  that  helped  him  to  be  religious,  that  I 
didn’t  adopt  that  myself.  I just  think,  “ Well,  old  fellow, 
if  that  helped  you,  I think  it  will  help  me.  I have  started 
in  in  cold-blooded  earnest  to  get  to  the  good  world,  and  I’ll 
adopt  anything  that  will  help  me  along.  That’s  my  pro- 
gramme.” When  I heard  an  old  Christian  say  : “ Family 

prayer  was  a great  blessing,”  thinks  I to  myself,  “God  help- 
ing me,  I’ll  adopt  it.  I want  everything  that  will  help  me 
to  get  on,  and  I want  to  adopt  every  plank  in  the  platform 
that  ever  helped  a man  to  be  good,  and  ever  helped  a man 
to  overcome  sin,  and  overcome  wickedness.  These  little, 


WALKING  WI'IH  CHRIST. 


131 

slow  Christians  in  this  land,  they  have  just  got  two  planks 
in  their  religious  platform.  Saying  a little  prayer,  and  read- 
ing a little  Bible,  is  just  as  far  as  they  ever  get.  That  is  all 
there  is  in  their  religion — saying  a prayer  every  night  before 
they  go  to  bed,  and  reading  the  Bible  a little  occasionally^ 
and  that’s  about  as  far  as  they  ever  get.  I tell  you  they 
sometimes  remind  me  of  these  little  two-wlieel  engines  they 
made  when  they  first  started  to  make  engines.  They  just 
put  two  wheels  under  them  and  they  made  schedule  time 
(laughter),  three  miles  an  hour  (great  laughter) , right  along. 

A NEW  SCHEDULE  WANTED. 

But  people  got  tired  of  that  sort  of  schedule.  Wisdom 
says,  “ That  won’t  do!  Three  miles  an  hour  for  a locomo- 
tive engine.”  Well,  now  what  do  they  do  ? They  just  put 
jackscrews  under  that  engine  and  prized  it  up,  and  put  six 
more  wheels  beneath  her.  That’s  all  ; and  now  you  can  go 
fifty  or  sixty  or  even  seventy-nine  miles  an  hour.  What  do 
you  say  to  that?  That  is  a good  schedule.  And  now 
brother,  sister,  God  help  you  to  be  willing,  anxious  for  God 
Almighty  to  prize  you  up  and  put  more  wheels  under  you. 
( Laughter.)  These  little  two-wheeled  fellows ; they  start 
out  toward  the  good  world  and  have  been  running  the 
Christian  race  for  forty  years,  and  haven’t  gotten  ten  miles 
on  their  journey.  The  devil  can  take  one  of  these  little 
two-wheeled  fellows  and  give  him  ten  miles  the  start,  and 
then  catch  him  before  breakfast,  every  time.  That’s  the 
plain  truth  about  it.  (Laughter.) 

Oh,  sir,  wisdom  says  to  me  : “ Be  prized  up  closer  to  God, 
and  let  every  Christian  duty  be  a wheel  put  in,  and  then  you 
will  roll  on  to  God  successfully,  and  can  out-run  the  devil  in 
any  race  he  wants  to  make  with  you.  You  move  faster  and 
you  move  more  grandly. 


132 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Wisdom  ! Do  tlie  right  thing  and  do  it  in  the  right  way. 
Adopt  every  plank  in  your  religions  platform  that  ever 
helped  a man  to  be  good,  and  tear  out  every  one  that  ever 
helped  a man  to  be  bad.  Wisdom  ! Justice?  Ah,  justice! 
I have  heard  people  say,  “ Christ  was  a just  man.”  I have 
heard  people  say,  “ You  had  better  be  just  than  generous.” 
Did  you  know  that  it  is  ten  times  as  hard  to  be  just  as  to  be 
generous?  Most  any  man  can  pull  out  a $10  bill  and  give  it 
to  a widow.  That  is  generosity.  But  it  takes  a man — a 
true  man — that  will  sit  down  and  draw  the  line  and  give 
to  God  his  dues,  to  his  neighbors  their  dues,  to  his  fam- 
ily their  dues,  and  to  the  world  its  dues.  It  is  very  hard  to 
find  a generous  man  in  this  wrorld,  and  it  is  ten  thousand 
times  harder  to  be  just  than  generous.  I like  a man  to  be 
just  to  his  family,  just  to  his  God,  just  to  humanity.  A man 
that  will  be  just  in  his  relative  duties  to  humanity  and  to 
himself.  A just  man  weighs  everything  in  the  balance. 
Ah,  me  ! Burns  told  the  truth  wdien  he  said  : 

Ouch ! Mankind  are  but  unco’  weak 
And  little  to  be  trusted. 

When  self  the  wavering'balance  shakes, 

It’s  rarely  right  adjusted. 

NUMEROUS  CONVERTS. 

There  are  a great  many  preachers  in  this  world — I may 
be  one  of  them — I am  no  better  than  any  of  them — that 
have  a great  many  converts  every  year,  and  they  say,  “ I’ve 
had  200  conversions.”  Well,  converted  from  what  and 
converted  to  what?”  That’s  the  question!  And  when  you 
ring  the  changes  on  the  preacher  right  there,  and  say* 
“Brother,  you  say  you  got  200  converts?”  “Yes.”  “'Well, 
what  have  they  been  converted  from,  and  what  have  they 
been  converted  to?”  Now,  if  you  can  find  me  a man  that 
lias  been  converted  from  the  works  of  the  flesh,  which  are 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


133 


manifest — idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred,  variance,  malice,  riot, 
strife,  sedition,  heresy,  licentiousness,  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing — he  is  converted  over  to  love  and  mercy  and  justice 
and  wisdom,  and  all  these  other  things  that  God  approves 
of,  then,  I say,  you  get  a fellow  that  is  converted  on  the 
Bible  platform,  and  I would  not  give  a flip  of  my  finger  for 
a man  converted  on  any  other  platform.  Two  hundred 
converts ! A fellow  out  in  the  country  gets  up  a big  meet- 
ing and  he  has  got  200  converts.  Does  he  mean  he  has 
got  200  more  like  those  he  has  got  before — those  quarter 
of  a dollar  and  ten  cents  a year  admission  fellows  and  a 
demijohn  sitting  around  in  every  house?  Does  he  mean 
that  he  has  got  200  more  like  that?  (Laughter.) 

My  Lord!  He  is  ruining  this  country  if  he  is  getting  up 
any  more  like  that.  (Laughter.) 

Converted  from  what  and  converted  to  what?  Christian- 
ity is  not  a song  nor  a sentiment,  nor  a shout  nor  a joining 
the  church,  but  Christianity  is  a great  principle,  buoying 
up  itself  and  manifest.  It  is  wisdom,  and  love,  and  mercy, 
and  justice,  and  every  good  word  and  work — that  is  it. 

Well,  to  be  practical  all  along  through — being  in  Christ 
Jesus  presupposes,  first,  a longing  desire  for  Christ,  a long- 
ing desire  for  the  true  and  the  noble  and  the  good  and  the 
just.  Oh,  me ! brother,  is  there  a man  here  to-night  down 
in  his  heart  that  never  had  a longing  desire  for  a better  life 
and  a nobler  life  and  a truer  life  ? Is  there  one  ? Is  there 
a man  here  that  never  wished  down  in  his  soul,  he  was  a 
wiser  man,  and  a more  just  man,  and  a more  loving  man, 
and  a more  forgiving  man? 

SPIRITUAL  HUNGER. 

Brother,  you  know  what  the  Scripture  says  is  a healthy, 
good  condition?  Spiritual  hungering  and  thirsting  after 


134 


SAM  JONES  SERMONS. 


righteousness.  That  is  a healthful  religious  experience — 
hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteousness.  Oh,  brother, 
being  in  Christ  Jesus  presupposes  a longing  for  Christ,  a 
desire  for  Christ.  That’s  it.  David  said : 

My  heart  panteth  after  the  living  God  as  the  heart  panteth  for  the 
water  brook. 

Longing  for  Christ,  hungering,  thirsting  after  righteous- 
ness. The  supremest  passion  of  a man’s  life  is  his  hunger 
and  his  thirst.  Did  you  ever  locate  the  sensation  of  physic- 
al hunger  — did  you  ever  locate  it?  The  little  fellow 
struck  it  right.  When  you  are  next  intensely  hungry  you 
locate  the  sensation  and  it  is  just  at  this  point  (indicating 
under  the  right  eye),  and  the  little  fellow  said,  “Pa,  I’m 
hungry,”  and  his  father  said,  “ Son,  how  do  you  feel  when  you 
feel  hungry?”  He  said,  “I  feel  like  I want  to  chaw  some- 
thing.” (Laughter.)  'Now,  the  little  fellow  had  it  rightly. 
Now,  the  sensation  of  physical  hunger  is  located  right  here, 
but  the  sensation  of  spiritual  hunger  is  located  in  the  will,  it 
is  located  in  the  affections,  it  is  located  in  the  inner  man.  I 
long  for  something  better  and  nobler  and  truer  and  grander. 
I long  for  Him  who  was  the  embodiment  of  all  that  was 
true  and  all  that  was  good.  That’s  it.  Longing  for  Christ ! 
The  soul  never  reaches  Him  until  nothing  but  Christ  will 
satisfy  the  soul. 

NOTHING  BUT  CHRIST. 

I have  seen  the  little  two-year-old  boy.  The  nurse  has 
him  in  her  arms  and  he  is  wringing  and  twisting  and  crying. 
His  mother  is  out ; his  mother  is  gone  to  town ; his  mother^ 
is  shopping ; and  little  Willie  twists  and  wrings  and  cries  and 
kicks  and  slips ; and  away  he  goes,  and  the  nurse  gets  his 
toys.  “ I don’t  want  no  toys,”  and  she  gets  his  marbles. 
“ I don’t  want  no  marbles,”  and  she  gets  him  some  candy. 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


135 


“ I don’t  want  no  candy,  I don’t  want  no  candy  ; I want 
mamma;  I don’t  want  those  marbles;  I want  mamma; 
I don’t  want  those  playthings  I want  mamma.”  And  di- 
rectly mamma  steps  in  the  door  and  the  little  fellow 
is  satisfied  and  he  runs  up  to  her  and  throws  his  arm 
around  her  neck  and  he  is  as  sweet  as  a little  angel. 
Mamma  has  come.  That’s  what  he  wanted.  And  I like 
to  see  a Christian  whose  soul  longs  for  Christ ; that  won’t 
be  satisfied  with  anything  else.  “Here  is  a ball.”  “I 
don’t  want  any  ball.”  “Here  is  a theater.”  “I  don’t 
want  any  theater.”  “ Here  is  money.”  “ I don’t  want  any 
money  ; I don’t  want  anything  ; I want  Christ  and  I won’t 
have  anything  else,”  and  he  won’t  want  anything  else. 
And  Christ  always  comes  to  the  soul  that  will  have  nothing 
but  him,  and  he  never  comes  to  a soul  while  anything  else 
would  satisfy  it.  A fellow  says : “ I sought  religion  a 

whole  month  and  I never  got  it.”  You  got  something  else. 
That  is  what  satisfied  you.  ( Laughter.)  And  Christ  never 
comes  to  the  soul  until  the  soul  reaches  the  point  where 
nothing  will  satisfy  but  Him. 

WAITING  FOR  LOVED  ONES. 

Sister,  this  last  cruel  war — some  wives  present  to-night 
may  know  what  I am  talking  about — this  last  cruel,  bloody 
war — how  husband  kissed  you  in  the  early  part  of  ’61 
“ Good  by ! ” and  he  went  to  the  cruel  war,  and  how  you 
wratched  every  mail  and  watched  all  the  telegraphic  reports, 
and  how  anxiously  you  looked  to  the  battle  field,  until  by  and 
by  husband  is  gone  two  months,  six  months,  ten  months, 
twelve  months,  twenty  months,  thirty  months.  The  sole  de- 
sire of  the  wife’s  heart  and  soul  was  for  her  husband  to  re- 
turn, and  nothing  would  satisfy  or  gratify  the  longing,  loving 
wife  but  the  presence  of  her  husband;  and  oh!  how  she 


136 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


looked,  and  how  she  longed  and  waited,  and  how  all  other 
pleasures  and  all  other  enjoyments  faded  away  in  her  pres- 
ence, in  the  presence  of  this  one  intense,  eternal  longing  of 
her  sonl  for  husband’s  return. 

PENELOPE. 

Take  the  case  of  Penelope,  perhaps  the  most  beautiful 
woman  in  the  world’s  history.  When  Ulysses  went  to  the 
war,  and  after  several  months  and  two  years  he  was  gone, 
and  all  tidings  of  him  were  lost,  and  this  beautiful  woman 
had  other  suitors,  and  they  pressed  her  hand,  she  waited  to 
hear  from  [him  she  loved,  and  they  pressed  her  hand, 
and  on  for  years  they  pressed  her  hand,  and  at  last 
her  suitors  were  so  eager  that  she  finally  said:  “Gentle- 
men, if  you  will  wait  until  I weave  out  this  piece  of  cloth  in 
the  loom,  then  I will  give  you  an  answer.”  And  then  she 
sat  and  wove  all  day  and  unraveled  it  all  night,  and  thus  she 
worked  and  toiled,  and  for  ten  more  long  years  in  her 
weary  weaving  she  kept  the  suitors  off,  and  then  Ulysses  re- 
turned, and  then  she  said  : “ Precious  husband,  I have 
been  faithful  in  my  love  and  tliou  are  returned.”  And 
when  the  soul  gets  to  the  point  where  it  says  : “I  am  honest, 
I will  stay  in  my  devotions,  I will  leave  and  turn  off 
every  other  suitor — the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil — I 
will  turn  them  all  off  and  keep  them  at  bay  ; I will  look  for 
the  coming  of  my  Lord,  and  I will  keep  them  off  until  He 
does  come” — 0I1,  that  is  longing — and  longing  for  Christ ! 

FLEEING  TO  CHRIST. 

And  then  this  being  in  Christ  Jesus  presupposes  another 
thing.  It  presupposes  fleeing  to  Christ.  Oh,  brother, 
you  better  not  let  the  grass  grow  up  in  the  pathway  between 
you  and  the  cross — between  you  and  Christ.  Oh,  safe  is 
that  soul  that  always  knows  its  way  to  Christ,  and  always 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


137 


keeps  tlie  patli  beaten  out  between  it  and  Christ.  Fleeing 
to  Christ — this  idea  we  get  from  the  criminal  law.  Under 
the  old  regime  when  a man  committed  an  olfense,  the  one 
question  with  him,  “ Can  I make  the  city  of  refuge,”  and  he 
dropped  all  things  and  he  left  all  things  and  pressed  with 
all  his  might  to  the  city  of  refuge,  and  as  soon  as  his  hands 
reached  the  gatepost  and  he  got  inside  the  city,  there  was 
no  power  to  arrest  him  or  punish  him.  And  so  when  the 
soul  has  sinned' against  Christ,  then  the  only  question  that 
comes  up  at  all  is  : “ Can  I make  the  city  of  refuge  ? ” The 
great  St.  Paul  said  : 

It  any  man  sin  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father — even  Jesus  Christ, 
the  righteous. 

Fleeing  to  Christ!  Look  here.  If  I wanted  to  make  the 
powers  of  Satan  tremble;  if  I wanted  to  put  to  flight  all  the 
armies  of  Hell,  I would  not  order  ten  legions  of  angels  from 
the  skies  and  all  the  artillery  of  Heaven  turned  loose  on  him. 

BEATING  THE  DEVIL. 

Do  you  know  what  Pd  do  ? I would  just  fall  down  on 
my  knees  and  pray,  and — 

Satan  trembles  when  he  sees 
The  weakest  saint  upon  his  knees. 

And  no  man  was  ever  conquered  on  his  knees  in  prayer  to 
God.  I have  been  at  the  point  where  I could  not  do  any- 
thing but  pray;  and,  blessed  be  God  ! that’s  all  I needed  to 
do — -just  kneel  down  and  pray.  On  my  knees  I have  worked 
out  problems  and  settled  difficulties  that  I never  could  have 
settled  on  my  feet.  Fleeing  to  Christ ! And  that’s  what 
prayer  is.  He  knows  where  you  break  dowm.  He  knows 
which  wheel  is  broken  and  how  many  wheels  are  broken 
down.  He  knows  whether  it  is  the  axle  or  whether  it  is 
the  wheel.  He  knows  whether  it  is  the  tongue  of  your 
wagon  or  whether  it  is  simply  a spoke  of  one  of  your  wheels. 


138 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Blessed  be  God  ! Wlien  I run  to  Him  He  can  put  His  finger 
on  the  affected  part,  and  He  is  a balm  in  Gilead  to  heal  aU 
my  diseases  and  to  re-arrange  all  my  breakages.  Bun  to 
Christ ! I can  get  along  without  anything  better  than 
prayer.  Prayer  is  the  communion  of  the  soul  with  God.  I 
can  get  along  without  everything  but  prayer.  I am  willing 
that  you  take  most  everything  in  the  world  away  from  me 
but  prayer.  Leave  me  the  privilege  of  rushing  to  God 
with  prayer,  and  I shall  make  my  way  to  Heaven. 

SUBMISSION'. 

And  being  in  Christ  Jesus  presupposes  again  submission 
to  Christ.  Now  it  is  one  thing  -to  long  for  Him,  another 
thing  to  run  to  Him  in  time  of  danger,  and  it  is  quite  anoth- 
er thing  to  speak  to  Him  when  you  get  there.  There  are 
some  mysterious  things  about  the  Bible.  You  say  “ Submit 
to  Christ.  What  do  you  mean  ? ” I mean  about  this  : 
Whatever  He  says  do,  you  do  it.  Whatever  He  says  thou 
oughtest  not  to  do,  that  you  let  it  alone.  That  is  what  I 
mean. 

There  are  some  people  in  this  world  who  beg  leave  to 
differ  with  God  on  a great  many  propositions.  God  says  : 

Look  not  on  the  wine  when  it  is  red;  when  it  giveth  its  color  to  the  cup* 

A fellow  looks  up  and  says,  “ Why? 55 

Because  at  the  last  it  biteth  like  a serpent  and  stingeth  like  an  adder. 

The  fellow  turns  to  his  wife  and  says,  “ That’s  a mistake. 
I’ve  been  drinking  for  ten  years  and  I ain’t  been  bit  yet,  and 
I never  will  get  bit.  God  is  wrong  about  that,”  and  in  less 
than  five  years  that  wife  sees  him  taken  to  bed  delirious  and' 
drunk,  and  four  men  holding  him,  and  when  the  lucid  mo- 
ment comes,  he  says,  “ Precious  wife,  God  told  the  truth. 
At  last,  it  biteth  like  a serpent  and  stingeth  like  an  adder, 
and  the  room  is  full  of  serpents  and  they  are  biting  all  the 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST.  I 39 

time.’'  Oh,  that  man  that  differs  with  God  has  made  a 
mistake  as  long  as  eternity. 

PURITANISM. 

Oh,  but  you  say  “ I don’t  believe  in  Puritanism.  I don’t 
believe  in  that.  I believe  the  Lord  means  us  to  enjoy  our- 
selves a little.”  Yes,  that  is  the  way  I used  to  talk.  “ Why 
don’t  the  Lord  want  us  to  dance  ? There  ain’t  no  harm  in 
that.” 

PLAIN  TALK  ON  DANCING. 

I can  go  to  houses — houses  morally  dark  and  morally 
degrading  as  perdition  itself — and  I can  look  at  that  poor, 
lost  woman  and  ask  her,  “ Where  did  you  take  your  first 
downward  step  to  death  and  hell  ? ” “ At  a ball  room.” 

“ Well,  God  advised  us  not  to  go  into  reveling.”  “ Well  I 
didn’t  think  the  Lord  was  right  about  that.  I differed  with 
Him.”  “ Well,  how  did  yon  come  out  ? How  did  you  come 
out  ?”  There  is  not  a family — I speak  it  because  I believe 
it — there  is  not  a family  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis  where  the 
father  who  trains  his  children  for  ball  rooms  and  germans  can 
lay  his  hands  upon  the  head  of  his  daughter  and  say : “ This 

daughter  will  die  as  pure  as  an  angel.”  You  can  not  say  it. 
Other  men’s  daughters  as  pure,  as  lovely  as  yours,  have 
been  down  with  the  devil’s  feet  on  them — and  a woman 
never  gets  up  when  the  devil  puts  his  feet  on  her  once  ! I 
beg  leave  to  differ  with  God  abDut  some  things!  Sub- 
mission to  Christ — there  is  the  test. 

CARDS. 

Well,  I don’t  see  any  harm  in  a social  game  of  cards. 
You  see  that  man  that  has  just  lost  his  last  cent,  and  his  wife 
and  children  hungry  ? You  see  that  man  as  he  watches  the 
winning  character,  and  sees  which  room  in  the  hotel  he  is 


140 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


registered  at.  You  see  him  slip  in  with  a false  key  into 
that  room,  and,  by  the  pale,  clear  moonlight  as  he  lifts  the 
glittering  dagger,  he  says : u I could  not  win  it  at  cards, 
but  I must  have  it,”  and  sticks  the  dagger  deep  in  the  vic- 
tim’s heart  and  pillages  his  pockets  and  walks  out  of  the 
room.  And  that  boy  was  raised  in  a Christian  home  and  a 
Methodist  father  showed  him  lirst  how  to  play  cards ! I beg 
leave  to  differ  with  God  about  some  things — don’t  you  see  ? 

An  old  sinner  ninety  years  old  told  me  once — said  he  : “I 
never  proved  any  but  one  passage  of  Scripture,  but  I know 
it  is  true.”  “ What  is  that  ? ” “ That  passage,”  he  says, 

“ which  tells  us,  4 The  way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard.’” 
(Laughter.)  That’s  so.  (Laughter.) 

' One  of  the  soldiers  in  the  last  war  told  me  a story  which 
has  an  interesting  application  here.  He  said:  “ Jones,  I 
fought  in  100  different  battles.  I have  faced  the  musket 
and  the  cannon  as  they  flashed  in  my  face,  but,  he  said  u the 
hardest  thing  I had  to  do  during  the  war  was  to  obey  the 
order  to  lie  down.”  He  said  : “ Every  man  fell  upon  his 

face  and  the  shell  and  shot  just  whizzed  and  buzzed  over 
our  forms  as  we  lay  sheltered  there.  The  hardest  thing  I 
had  to  do  during  the  whole  war  was  to  lie  still  under  tire, 
but  if  I had  got  up  I would  have  been  riddled  with  bullets 
in  a minute.”  How,  when  Almighty  God  lets  loose  his 
grape  and  cannister  you  had  better  lie  low,  you  had.  And 
every  bullet  hole  you  have  in  your  body  to-day,  you  have 
because  you  would  not  be  still.  That  is  it. 

PARALYZING  SINS. 

You  say,  “ Jones,  why  don’t  you  preach  against  stealing, 
lying  and  drunkenness  ? ” It  is  because  that  ain’t  hurting 
the  church.  Nobody  has  any  respect  for  you  old  red-nosed 
devils  in  the  church.  (Laughter.)  They  don’t  notice  you. 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


141 

They  have  got  no  respect  for  you.  (Laughter.)  Nobody 
has  any  respect  for  you  if  you  are  a liar.  Nobody  bothers 
with  you  if  you  steal.  Nobody  cares  anything  about  you. 
I will  tell  you  it  ain’t  lying,  stealing  and  drunkenness  that 
is  cursing  the  church  and  paralyzing  her  power  and  ruining 
the  church  of  God.  It  is  these  worldly  amusements  that 
are  sweeping  over  our  homes  and  churches,  and  paralyzing 
us  and  making  us  to-day  little  better  than  a graveyard. 
That  is  it. 

I never  saw  a spiritual  man  in  my  life  that  would  stand  up 
and  ask  me,  “ Do  you  think  there  is  any  harm  in  the  dance  ? ’’ 
Why  don’t  you  ask  me  if  I think  there  is  any  harm  in  a 
prayer  meeting,  or  I think  there  is  any  harm  in  family 
prayer?  You  know  there  ain’t.  And  whenever  you  hear 
a fellow  asking  if  there  is  any  harm  in  the  dance,  you  can 
reply,  “ You  lying  old  rascal,  you  know  there  is.”  (Laugh- 
ter and  applause.)  Mr.  Jones,  turning  to  the  ministers 
seated  behind  him,  asked  : “ Why  don’t  you  say  Amen  ?” 

( Renewed  laughter  and  applause.) 

Submission ! Oh,  the  wisest  spirit  ever  manifested  by 
mortal  man  is  that  spirit  that  first  said,  u I will  be  loyal  to 
Him,  and  then  lie  still  underfire.  I will  be  loyal.  Though 
He  slay  me,  I will  hope  while  I live.” 

PERSONAL  IDEAS. 

And  I will  say  this  much.  My  Christianity  has  done 
this  much  for  me.  Hear  me  nowT,  every  one  of  you.  I 
can  say  it,  I think,  as  truthfully  as  I ever  said  anything.  I 
have  danced  many  a night.  I have  played  cards  a little.  I 
never  got  much  interested  in  them,  for  I think  card-playing 
is  the  game  of  starvelings,  mental  and  spiritual.  If  I had 
children  that  would  not  read  a book,  and  would  not  be  in- 
terested in  anything  that  ought  to  be  interesting  to  intelli- 


142 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


gent  beings,  I would  learn  them  all  to  play  cards.  (Laugh- 
ter.) The  little  simpletons,  I would  run  them  on  that  line. 
(Laughter.)  If  I had  a daughter  that  was  such  a simple- 
ton that  she  had  only  just  sense  enough  to  behave  herself, 
I would  send  her  to  a hook-nosed  French  dancing-master 
(laughter)  and  1 would  tell  him  to  make  her  graceful,  and 
say  : “ Her  head’s  a failure,  and  I want  you  to  make  it  up 
on  the  feet.”  (Renewed  laughter.)  The  law  of  compen- 
sation, of  checks  and  balances  ought  to  work  here,  ought 
it  not?  I would  say  to  the  hook-nosed  Frenchman,  u Bring 
her  feet  up  right.  She  is  a failure  in  her  head.”  I would 
learn  her  to  dance  gracefully,  and  marry  her  off  to  some 
ball-room  dude  and  buy  them  a place  away  off  in  the 
country  and  tell  them  never  to  come  and  see  me.  When  I 
got  anxious  to  see  them  I would  take  her  mother  and  go  and 
see  them.  (Laughter.) 

METHODIST  MOTHERS. 

A Methodist  mother,  taking  her  innocent  children,  and 
placing  them  in  the  care  and  under  the  training  of  an  old 
hook-nosed  Frenchman — the  mean  old  devil  (loud  laugh- 
ter)— teaching  people  his  manners  ! I have  a contempt  for 
that  sort  of  people,  and  may  be  the  rascal  has  not  been  out 
of  jail  three  months  before  coming  here  and  starting  his 
dancing-school.  (Laughter.)  Oh,  if  I have  a contemptfora 
being  in  this  universe  that  I cannot  reach  down  to,itisa 
dancing-master.  His  only  business  is  to  go  about  through 
the  community  despoiling  the  spiritual  interest  of  children 
and  making  them  fall  in  love  with  giddy  worldliness  and 
foolishness  that  will  damn  them  in  the  end.  I have  made 
many  of  them  get  in  places  where  I have  preached.  I have 
gone  into  towns  of  10,000  and  15,000  where  such  a fellow 
has  a grand  dancing-school,  and  I would  not  want  more  than 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


143 


forty-eight  hours  to  bring  him  up.  I would  shell  the  woods 
for  him  a time  or  two  and  then  you’d  see  him  start  hitting 
the  ground  about  a mile  a minute.  (Laughter.) 

And  that  is  the  sentiment  of  every  preacher  here  this 
night.  It  is  your  sentiment.  It  is  the  sentiment  of  all  of 
us.  If  I was  pastor  here  and  had  a sister  in  my  church  that 
sent  her  children  to  a dancing-school,  I would  turn  her  out. 
Not  the  little  children,  but  the  old  hypocrite  of  a mother. 
(Cries  of  Amen  all  over  the  church,  and  prolonged  laughter 
and  applause.) 

SIMPLE  RELIGIOUS  SENSE. 

Submission!  Submission!  It  means  if  I swear  loyalty 
to  the  right  I will  submit  to  it.  No  matter  what  it  costs  me  ; 
no  matter  what  criticisms  are  brought  to  bear  on  me,  I will 
do  right,  I will  do  right.  Let  people  say  he  is  a dolt ; let 
people  say  he  is  simple,  and  that  he  has  no  better  sense 
than  to  be  religious.  God  bless  you,  there  are  a good 
many  people  in  this  world  who  have  got  just  sense  enough 
to  be  religious,  and  you  will  find  on  the  day  of  judgment 
that  they  are  the  only  sensible  people  in  town — those  fel- 
lows that  had  just  sense  enough  to  be  religious.  Submis- 
sion! submission!  I will  do  right  because  it  is  right,  and  I 
will  not  do  wrong  if  I know  it.  That  is  what  every  Chris- 
tian ought  to  say.  Now,  if  worldlings  and  non-members  of 
the  church  want  to  do  otherwise  we  say  it  is  in  a line  with 
their  professions,  but  we  do  not  want  church  members  to 
follow  in  that  line.  A woman  can  be  a perfect  lady  and 
dance,  but  she  can  not  be  a Christian  and  dance.  (Amen.) 
That  is  as  true  a thing  as  ever  I uttered.  (Amen.)  A 
woman  may  be  as  true  a lady  as  ever  walked  the  earth  and 
attend  theaters,  but  she  can  not  be  a Christian  and  do  it,  to 
save  the  world.  A man  may  be  as  nice  a gentleman  as  ever 


144 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


walked  this  earth,  and  play  cards  every  night  in  his  home 
but  he  can  not  be  a Christian  and  do  it.  That  is  as  certain 
as  this  world  exists. 

HOW  HE  KNOWS  IT. 

You  ask  me  how  I know.  I got  religion  fourteen  years 
ago,  and  I know  how  those  things  served  me,  and  I reckon 
they  serve  about  every  fellow  the  same  way.  If  I,  as  a 
member  of  the  church,  were  to  begin  dancing  or  playing 
cards  or  carousing  in  my  family,  I would  go  to  the  preacher 
and  say,  “ Take  my  name  off  the  roll.  I will  never  be  a 
hypocrite.”  (Applause.) 

Submission!  The  idea  is  this:  u Speak,  Lord,  Thy  serv- 
ant heareth;  Thou  art  true  and  just.  Oh,  God,  speak  out 
and  I will  hear  it,  and  when  I hear  I will  obey.”  That  is 
what  I mean  by  submission.  I think  every  Christian  man 
in  the  world  ought  to  give  himself  up  as  fully  to  God  as 
one  of  those  grand  Roger  engines  gives  itself  up  to  the 
engineer.  I have  stood  on  those  engines,  and  as  I talked 
with  the  engineer  I have  seen  him  stand  with  his  hand  on 
the  throttle  and  his  eye  on  the  track.  Presently  he  would 
pull  his  watch  out  and  look  at  it  quietly.  Then  I would 
see  him  pull  the  throttle  a little  wider  open,  as  much  as  to 
say,  “ give  me  six  or  eight  more  miles  an  hour — we  are  get? 
ting  a little  behind.”  And  I have  seen  him  as  he  approached 
a station,  shut  the  throttle  off,  drop  the  lever  forward  and 
stop  the  engine  right  where  he  wanted  to  stop  it.  I think 
every  Christian  man  should  turn  his  soul  over  to  God,  just 
as  the  engine  turns  its  throttle  over  to  the  engineer,  and 
say : “ Oh,  Lord,  if  I get  a little  behind,  open  my  soul  and  I 

will  move  faster,  or  if  I am  going  too  fast,  all  you  have  to 
do  is  to  shut  me  off  a little  and  I will  slacken  my  speed.” 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


H5 


MORAL  AFFINITIES. 

Submission,  and  being  in  Christ  Jesus,  presupposes,  lastly, 
affinities  that  control  my  nature  in  such  a way  that  I am  alike 
in  every  sense.  I have  gone  into  a room  where  there  was 
a husband  and  wife  who  had  been  living  together  for  fifty 
years  and  more.  They  had  just  had  their  golden  wedding. 
I sat  down  and  looked  at  them  a few  minutes,  and  I said, 
“Well,  well;  that  man  and  his  wife  look  as  much  like 
brother  and  sister  as  any  two  people  I have  seen  in  my 
life.  Did  you  ever  see  brother  and  sister  more  alike  than 
that  man  and  his  wife?55  Then  I commenced  to  talk  to 
them  and  said:  “Well,  well;  the  very  intonations  of  their 
voices  are  just  alike.55  Then  directly  the  old  lady  said  so 
and  so,  and  the  old  man  said:  “I  was  just  going  to  ask 
that  myself;55  and  I thought  to  myself:  “Not  only  do 
they  look  alike,  not  only  are  the  intonations  of  their  voices 
alike,  but  they  think  alike.55  Brother  and  sister,  may  our 
affinities  lead  us  to  where  we  not  only  look  like  good  men. 
but  where  the  very  intonations  of  our  voices  are  molded  by 
the  spirit  of  the  Master.  And  not  only  that,  but  when  you 
speak  out  and  say,  “Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they 
shall  see  God,55  it  will  be  said,  “He  talks  like  Christ  talked. 
He  looks  like  a good  man,  and  I could  have  told  he  was  a 
good  man  anywhere.55  Oh,  brethren,  do  not  lose  any  time 
in  hungering  for  the  right,  in  looking  for  the  right,  and  in 
submitting  to  the  right,  until  you  get  right  from  head  to 
foot  and  you  become  a big  bundle  of  rightness. 

WHERE  TO  GO  FOR  HELP. 

And  if  any  man  wants  to  be  made  whole,  if  you  feel  your 
weakness,  go  to  Him  of  whom  I have  been  talking  to-night. 
He  is  approachable,  He  is  available  to  every  one  of  you,  and  the 

io 


146 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


highway  that  leads  to  Him  is  a wide  one,  open  to  every  soul  here 
to-night.  I j ust  want  to  tell  you  this  in  conclusion.  Fourteen 
years  ago  last  August  there  was  an  occurrence  in  my  life  that 
reminded  me  very  much  of  an  event  that  occurred  when 
Christ  was  on  earth.  You  recollect  once  He  got  on  board 
a little  ship  with  His  disciples  and  started  across  the  Lake  of 
Genesaret.  That  little  lake  was  hemmed  in  with  mount- 
ains that  towered  hundreds  of  feet  around  it,  and  it  seemed 
to  be  secure  from  the  winds.  At  times,  however,  furious 
storms  came,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the  four  winds  of  heaven 
were  striving  to  see  which  should  have  charge  of  that  little 
lake.  The  winds  came  rushing  and  bearing  down  upon  the 
lake  that  time  and  the  weaves  began  to  roll  and  the  water 
was  lashed  into  foam.  The  little  vessel  rocked  and  pitched 
and  creaked  under  the  pressure  of  the  waves,  and  the  dis- 
ciples, affrighted,  ran  and  waked  the  Master  and  said: 
“ Master,  we  are  engulfed,  we  are  destroyed  forever.” 
Jesus  looked  at  the  terrific  storm.  How  the  vessel  shakes 
and  pitches,  and  how  the  disciples  trembled  with  fear.  The 
Master  awoke  and  wiped  the  spray  from  his  forehead,  and 
walked  to  the  prow  of  the  little  ship.  He  reached  down 
and  pulled  the  angry  wave  on  His  knee  and  dandled  it  to 
sleep  like  a mother  would  an  infant  child.  And  the  disciples 
said  : “ Oh,  what  a calm ! ” 

THE  EVERLASTING  PEACE. 

One  day,  fourteen  years  ago,  with  my  soul  pitched  and 
tossed  and  driven  by  the  storms  of  temptation,  I rushed 
right  into  His  presence.  He  took  me  up  and  pulled  me  to 
his  great  loving  heart,  and  he  said:  “My  peace  I give  unto 
thee,”  and  I went  away  saying:  “How  blessed  be  God  ; not 
a wave  of  trouble  rolls  across  my  peaceful  breast.”  Oh, 
brother,  here  is  a calm.  The  soul  that  was  in  the  midst  of 


WALKING  WITH  CHRIST. 


147 


storms  all  its  life  is  enjoying  that  blessed  calm  to-day.  Oh, 
Christ,  give  ns  the  words  to-night  that  will  bring  a calm  to 
every  soul.  (Amen.)  Now  we  are  going  to  dismiss  you 
with  the  benediction,  but  before  we  dismiss  you  we  make 
this  proposition:  I want  every  Christian  man  in  this  house 
• — I do  not  care  of  what  church  you  are  a member,  and  if 
you  have  no  church,  you  can  accept  the  proposition-^to  say: 
“ God  helping  me  I intend  to  be  a more  circumspect  Chris- 
tian, and  I am  going  to  do  better ; 55  or  you  can  say  “ I am 
going  to  do  my  best.5’  I like  that  sort  of  fellows.  Heaven 
is  just  on  the  other  side  of  a fellow  that  is  doing  his  best. 
Brethren,  I have  but  a few  more  messages  to  you  as  church 
members.  I want  every  professor  of  religion  in  this  house,  I 
do  not  care  whether  he  is  a preacher  or  a member  of  the  church 
or  whether  in  the  church  or  not,  if  you  want  to  glorify  God 
with  a pure,  thankful,  loyal  love,  I want  every  one  of  you 
to  stand  up  with  me — and  do  not  stand  up  unless  you  mean 
it — and  breathe  a prayer  to  God  to  keep  you  faithful  unto 
death.  (All  in  the  church  rose.)  Well,  thank  God,  what  a 
host.  Now  if  there  is  a non-professor  who  hears  the  prayers 
of  these  people,  and  you  will  stand  up,  we  will  pray  for  you 
the  best  we  can.  Thank  God,  nearly  everybody  stands  up. 
I think  you  mean  it;  you  look  as  if  you  mean  it.  Now, 
blessed  Lord  God,  baptize  us  in  that  resolution;  fasten  it  on 
us,  and  may  we  be  faithful  from  this  hour  until  God  shall 
say : “It  is  enough,  come  up  higher.55 


148 


SAM  J ONES’  SERMONS. 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


We  invite  your  attention  to  several  verses  in  the  first 
chapter  of  the  Second  Epistle  General  of  Peter. 

According  as  His  divine  power  hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  per- 
tain unto  life  and  godliness,  through  the  knowledge  of  Him  that  hath 
called  us  to  glory  and  to  virtue. 

Let  us  notice  two  or  three  of  these  verses  as  we  go 
along : 

According  as  His  divine  power  hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  per- 
tain to  life  and  godliness. 

Did  you  ever  face  this  fact  in  your  religious  experience, 
that  there  may  be  a thousand  reasons  why  some  men  do  not 
succeed  at  law ; that  there  may  he  a thousand  reasons  why 
some  ipen  fail  in  merchandising ; that  there  may  be  a thou- 
sand reasons  why  some  men  fail  in  agriculture ; hut  do  you 
ever  meet  this  fact,  that  there  is  no  reason  in  Heaven  or 
Earth  or  Hell  why  any  man  should  fail  to  be  an  earnest, 
faithful,  Christian  man  ? There  are  reasons  why  men  fail 
in  every  other  profession  and  every  other  calling,  but  there 
are  no  reasons  why  any  man  should  fail  in  being  a success- 
ful Christian. 

According  as  His  divine  power  hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  per- 
tian  to  life  and  godliness. 

If  I am  not  a successful,  happy,  earnest  Christian,  it  is 
not  the  devil’s  fault ; it  is  not  the  fault  of  the  grace  of  God ; 
it  is  not  the  fault  of  this  book;  it  is  not  the  fault  of  any- 
thing without ; but  my  trouble  lies  deep  within. 

All  things  that  pertain  to  life  and  godliness.  * 

THE  SOURCE  OF  GOODNESS. 

Let  us  face  this  fact  a moment.  If  I am  a good  man,  I 
am  a good  man  on  purpose.  If  I am  not  a good  man  I am 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


149 


purposely  not  a'good  man.  Nobody  ever  was  religious  by  ac- 
cident. The  grace  of  God  never  made  any  man  religious. 
The  Bible  never  made  any  man  religious.  Preaching  never 
made  any  man  religious.  These  are  all  grand  instrumental- 
ities in  the  hands  of  God,  but  no  man  was,  and  no  man  ever 
will  be  religious  until  he  settles  it  once  uncompromisingly 
and  forever:  “ I will  be  religious,  whether  I am  anything 
else  or  not.  If  I fail  in  everything  else,  I will  succeed  in 
this.  If  I don’t  do  anything  else,  I will  do  this.”  Like  the 
great  one  who  succeeded  in  the  highest  sense — St.  Paul. 
He  said : 

One  thing*  I do. 

Suppose  I succeed.  I am  a success  for  all  worlds.  Sup- 
pose I fail  in  this  and  succeed  in  everything  else — like  Cor- 
nelius Vanderbilt,  the  richest  man  that  ever  bade  America 
“ good-by  ” and  stepped  into  eternity.  He  turned  to  his 
oldest  boy  and  passed  $75,000,000  into  his  hands  ; $25,000,- 
000  additional  he  turned  over  to  the  rest  of  his  heirs,  and, 
then  in  his  last  moments,  turned  to  his  Christian  wife  and 
asked  her : “ Wife,  please  sing, 

“ Come,  ye  sinners,  poor  and  needy; 

Weak  and  wounded,  sick  and  sore.'” 

The  richest  man  that  America  ever  produced  asking  his 
wife  to  sing  the  song  of  a beggar ! 

The  next  verse  reads  : 

Whereby  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises, 
that  by  these  ye  might  be  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  having 
escaped  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world  through  lust. 

PARTAKERS  OF  THE  DIVINE  NATURE. 

What  does  that  mean — 

Being  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature? 

Here  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  plainest,  clearest  statements 
of  the  beginning  of  a Christian  life. 

Being  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature. 


150 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Now,  here’s  a man  who  has  been,  perhaps,  intemperate  at 
times,  worldly-minded,  covetous,  wicked,  wayward,  godless, 
and  now  here  is  a pivotal  moment  in  his  life.  Perhaps  it  is 
the  death  of  his  precious  wife ; perhaps  it  is  the  burial  of 
one  of  his  sweet  children;  perhaps  it  was  an  earnest  sermon; 
but  some  time,  something,  some  where  touched  his  heart 
and  touched  his  conscience,  and  he  says  to  himself : “ I be- 
lieve I’ll  decide  upon  a better  life.  I ought  to  be  good. 
I’m  sorry  I’m  bad.  I would  give  the  rest  of  my  days  to 
nobler,  better  things.”  He  eschews  evil  and  learns  to  do 
good,  and  on  and  on  he  walks  away  from  evil  and  walks  into 
good,  and  may  be  six  months  later  there  is  a happy,  joyous 
Christian  experience  brought  about.  When  was  that  man 
made  a partaker  of  the  divine  nature  ? It  was  in  that  mo- 
ment way  back  yonder,  when  he  said  : “ I am  wrong.  I 
ought  to  get  right.”  That  moment,  way  back  yonder,  when 
he  said,  uI’m  bad  ; I’m  sorry  I am.  I have  offended  God 
and  lived  in  sin.  I would  seek  the  favor  of  God  and  live 
in  righteousness.”  It  was  way  back  there  that  that  man 
was  made  partaker  of  the  divine  nature,  and  he  yielded  and 
responded  and  fostered  and  nursed  that  divine  touch  until, 
by  and  by,  it  budded  and  blossomed  into  a glorious  religious 
experience. 

god’s  moiety. 

A little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump. 

I used  to  think  that  if  God  couldn’t  get  all  the  heart  he 
wouldn’t  take  any.  I made  a mistake  there.  Brother  if 
you  will  surrender  God  an  inch  of  space  in  your  heart  to- 
night, God  will  occupy  that  space,  and  God  will  do  for  a 
man  and  do  in  a man  just  in  proportion  as  God  can  get 
hand  room  and  foot  room  to  work.  And  God  will  work 
that  space  so  well  and  the  fruitage  will  be  so  glorious,  that 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  I 5 I 

if  we  will  surrender  every  space  and  every  place,  God  will  go 
on  with  the  conquest  until  he  shall  possess  the  whole.  Or,  if 
you  draw  the  line  anyway  and  say  to  God,  “ Thus  far  shalt 
thou  go  and  no  farther,”  then  God  will  surrender  to  you  the 
space  he  already  occupied,  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is 
worse  than  the  first. 

According  as  his  divine  power  hath  * * * made  us  partakers  of 
the  divine  nature. 

Is  there  a man  here  to-night,  twenty  or  thirty  or  forty 
years  old,  that  down  in  his  conscience  feels  like  u I am 
had.  I am  sorry  of  it,  I ought  to  be  good.  I want  to 
be  good?”  The  good  spirit  of  all  grace  has  touched 
that  man’s  heart.  And  now,  brother,  you  foster  and  cher- 
ish and  nurse  and  perpetuate  that  desire  in  your  soul  until 
it  shall  spring  up  and  develop  into  a burning,  hungering, 
and  thirsting  after  righteousness.  Don’t  despise  the  day  of 
small  things.  A great  many  in  the  church  and  a great 
many  out  of  the  church  are  waiting  for  some  wonderful 
transformation.  They  are  waiting  for  some  wonderful 
something  to  possess  them.  A great  many  of  us  are  alike. 
We  would  want  such  an  experience  as  that  of  St  Paul,  for 
instance. 

GOD  NEVER  WASTES  POWDER. 

Well,  St.  Paul  was  a wonderful  man.  He  was  big  game? 
and  God  used  big  ammunition  and  big  guns  on  big  game, 
understand  that.  Paul — it  took  the  biggest  cannon  of 
Heaven  loaded  to  its  muzzle  to  bring  him  down,  and  it 
brought  him  down  to  surrender.  And  there’s  many  a little 
fellow  in  this  country  wanting  God  to  shoot  off  that  same 
gun  at  him.  And  if  God  did,  it  wouldn’t  leave  a greasy 
spot  of  you,  you  poor  little  fellow.  (Laughter.)  God  is 
too  merciful  to  turn  such  guns  loose  on  your  sort.  God 
never  shoots  cannon-balls  at  snow-birds.  Don’t  forget  that. 


152  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

Fancy  a snow-bird  perched  on  tlip  twig  of  a persimmon 
bush  and  saying,  “ I’ll  never  move  until  a cannon-ball  hits . 
me  ” — and  that  will  be  his  Jast  move.  (Laughter.) 

According  as  his  divine  power  hath  given  us  all  things  that  pertain  to 
life  and  godliness,  through  the  knowledge  of  Him  that  hath  called  us  to 
glory  and  virtue. 

Whereby  are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises. 

Oh,  brother!  how  divine  the  truth  that  God  alwrays  prom- 
ises to  help  a man  to  be  good  if  he  wants  to  be  good.  And 
my  theology  at  last,  brother,  is  in  but  two  sentences.  God 
can  not  arbitrarily  make  any  man  a good  man.  If  he  could 
wre  would  all  be  good,  for  he  wills  that  we  should  all  be 
moral.  The  devil  can  not  arbitrarily  make  any  man  a bad 
man.  If  he  could  we  would  all  be  bad.  My  theology  is 
wrapped  in  these  two  declarations.  If  you  want  to  be 
good,  say  so,  and  God  will  help  you.  If  you  want  to  be 
bad,  say  so,  and  the  devil  will  help  you.  I needn’t  tell  you 
that.  Y ou  know  that. 

faith  nsr  god’s  promises. 

Exceeding  great  and  precious  promises. 

Promises  that  come  down  to  me,  and  reach  out  to  me, 
and  overshadow  me,  and  that  are  like  a great  granite  rock 
under  my  feet  as  I walk  on  the  promises  of  God.  There  is 
no  bankrupting  the  soul  that  carries  in  its  consciousness  the 
promises  of  God.  Now,  brother,  let  us  take  a sensible 
view  of  this.  Let’s,  you  and  I,  not  wait  for  anything;  but 
let’s,  you  and  I,  decide  to-night.  “ Yes,  I want  to.  be  good, 
and  I decide  to  be  good.”  And  that  isn’t  all.  “ I believe 
God  will  help  me,  and  I’m  going  to  start  out  on  that  line 
to-night.” 

The  greatest  curse  of  men  is,  they  are  going  to  be  good 
after  awhile.  “ I’ll  be  good  next  year,”  and  so  on.  Well, 
if  you  and  I are  ever  going  to  be  good  it  is  time  we  begun. 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  I 5 3 

And  if  we  are  never  going  to  be  good  let’s  say  so  and  settle 
it  forever.  Now  beside  a start  like  tliis  be  says: 

And  besides  this,  giving  all  diligence,  add  to  your  faith  virtue,  and  to 
virtue  knowledge. 

And  to  knowledge  temperance,  and  to  temperance  patience,  and  to 
patience  godliness,  and  to  godliness  brotherly  kindness,  and  to  brotherly 
kindness  charity. 

For,  if  these  things  be  in  you  and  abound,  they  make  you  that  ye  shall 
neither  be  barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

But  he  that  lacketh  these  things 

Listen  !— 

He  that  lacketh  these  things  is  blind  and  can  not  see  afar  off. 

NEAR-SIGHTED  CHRISTIANS. 

Yon  see  the  seeming  contradictory  senses  in  which  these 
words  are  put — 

Is  blind  and  can  not  see  afar  off. 

He  can  see  all  around  him.  He  can  see  stocks  and  bonds 
and  money,  and  worldly  goods  and  fruits.  Ah  me!  He  is 
what  you  might  call  a near-sighted  Christian.  He  can  see 
everything  about  him  ; he  can  see  the  profits  and  losses  of 
each  day’s  business  ; he  can  see  his  mansion  and  see  his  town 
property  and  see  his  railroad  interests,  and  so  on,  right 
about  him,  but  he 

Is  blind  and  can  not  see  afar  off. 

Ah,  me,  brother!  It  is  these  long-sighted  fellows  that  win. 
This  one  that  looked  ahead  into  eternity  and  can  say,  “ My 
treasure  is  laid  up  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  where  neither 
moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt  and  where  thieves  do  not  break 
through  and  steal.” 

You  can  tell  a near-sighted  man.  Nothing  out  of  the 
range  of  his  sight  excites  him  or  mo  ves  him.  That  man 
standing  by  you  there — you  see  a cyclone  coming,  but  he 
stands  there  without  a motion  of  his  body.  These  men  that 
can  not  see  into  eternity  and  can  not  see  beyond,  they  are 


154 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


never  excited.  Tliey  call  these  other  men  “ religious  en- 
thusiasts.” And  I declare  to  you  to-night,  we  have  got  a 
great  many  near-sighted  Methodists  and  Baptists  and  Pres- 
byterians and  Episcopalians,  and  so  forth  in  this  city.  That 
father  there  can  see  his  boy  going  in  business  and  can  see 
him  succeed  in  business,  but  how  about  your  boy’s  soul  and 
eternity  ? Can’t  see  anything  there.  That  mother  can  see 
her  daughter  projected  into  society  and  see  her  marry  well,, 
and  see  her  move  off  to  herself  and  start  well  in  life,  but 
how  about  your  daughter’s  eternal  interests?  Can’t  see 
anything  there.  Oh,  the  near-sighted  people  of  this  world. 
They  are — 

Blind  and  can  not  see  afar  off. 

FORGETFUL  BACKSLIDERS. 

And  listen : 

And  have  forgotten  that  they  were  purged  from  their  old  sins. 

There  is  not  an  old  backslider  in  this  town  but  what 
when  you  see  him  down  will  say,  “ I sort  of  doubt  whether 
I ever  was  religious  or  not.  I don’t  think  I ever  was  a 
Christian.” 

Forgets,  you  see ! 

There  is  not  a miserable  backslidden  person  in  this  com 
munity  to-night,  but  what  when  you  bring  him  square  to 
the  issue,  he’ll  tell  you,  “Well,  I thought  I was  converted 
then,  and  I thought  I enjoyed  religion,  but  I think  now  I 
was  mistaken.”  “ Think  now  I was  mistaken  ! ” Haven’t 
you  heard  that  all  around  ? “I  am  afraid  I was  mistaken.” 
Poor  fellow ! He  has  got  into  things  that  have  so  en- 
grossed him  and  so  taken  up  his  time,  he  has  forgotten  all 
about  how  good  God  was  to  him,  and  how  God  blessed  him, 
and  how  had  he  lived  for  months,  and  may  be  years. 

Blind  and  can  not  see  afar  off,  and  hath  forgotten  that  he  was  purged 
from  his  old  sins. 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


155 


I don't  know  what  you’ll  do  with  all  this  sort  unless  you 
turn  them  over  to  us  Methodists.  We  believe  in  that  sort. 

I want  to  tell  you  of  another  thing  right  along  at  this 
point.  There  are  ten,  there  are  twenty  warnings  in  the 
word  of  God  to  Christian  people,  lest  they  fail,  lest  they  go 
back — there  are  twenty  warnings  to  Christian  people  to 
hold  fast  their  profession  of  faith,  to  where  there  is  one 
call  to  the  sinner  to  come  to  repentance.  And  now  what 
do  you  say  ? It  looks  like  there  is  danger  along  that  line 

THE  MATTER  OF  DILIGENCE. 

Now,  giving  all  diligence. 

Oh,  me ! A religious  life  is  a pious  life;  it  is  an  earnest 
life;  it  is  an  energetic  life;  it  is  a life  in  which  every  man 
ought  to  lay  aside  every  weakness  and  the  sin  that  doth  so 
easily  beset  him,  and  run  with  patience  the  race  set  before 
him. 

An  energetic,  an  enthusiastic  life  ! Ah,  me  ! A life  like 
St.  Paul,  when  once  convinced  and  when  once  he  swore  his 
allegiance  to  Christ,  from  that  moment  until  he  passed  out 
of  the  world  he  was  a grand  rolling  ball  of  tire  all  through 
his  life  and  all  through  earth. 

Oh,  brother, 

Giving  all  diligence, 

I can  tell  when  a man  is  in  earnest.  If  you  let  me  watch 
the  first  three  months  of  that  young  lawyer’s  life  after  he 
has  just  chosen  the  profession  of  law — if  you  let  me  watch 
the  first  three  months  of  his  life  after  he  makes  his  profes- 
sion, chooses  his  profession — I don’t  need  any  tongue  of  the 
prophet  to  tell  you  whether  he  means  business  or  not.  I 
see  that  young  fellow  choosing  the  profession  of  law,  and 
instead  of  poring  over  Blackstone  and  Greenleaf  and  all  the 
law  books,  I see  him  now  spending  his  evenings  with  the 
girls  and  loitering  around  the  street;  I don’t  need  any  tongue 


156 


SAM  JONES5  SERMONS. 


of  the  prophet  to  say  that  fellow  will  never  get  but  one 
ease  and  the  sheriff  will  get  his  client.  (Laughter.) 

I see  a young  fellow  starting  out  to  be  a doctor.  Let  me 
watch  him  three  months.  I see  him  loitering  away  his  time 
and  spending  his  evenings  in  parties,  and  paying  no  atten- 
tion to  physiology  and  anatomy  and  hygiene,  and  so  forth. 
I turn,  around  and  I can  see  what  you  will  be.  You  will 
have  but  one  patient,  and  the  undertaker  will  get  him  next 
day,  and  that  will  wind  up  your  practice.  (Laughter.) 

MINISTERIAL  AIR-GUNS. 

I see  a preacher  starting  out  and  proposes  to  be  a preacher  ; 
never  look's  in  a book,  never  thinks,  never  studies ; he  is  go- 
ing to  open  his  mouth  and  let  the  Lord  fill  it.  Well,  the 
Lord  does  fill  a fellow’s  mouth  as  soon  as  he  opens  it,  but 
He  fills  it  with  air.  (Laughter.)  And  there’s  many  an  old 
air-gun  going  through  this  country  professing  to  be  a 
preacher.  (Laughter.)  I have  listened  at  some  men  preach- 
ing an  hour,  and  they  didn’t  say  one  thing  in  the  hour;  and 
I got  perfectly  interested  seeing  how  the  fellow  could  dodge 
every  idea  in  the  universe  and  talk  an  hour.  (Laughter.) 
I just  watched  him. 

I see  a farmer  the  first  three  months  of  the  year,  instead 
of  cleaning  out  his  fence  corners  and  repairing  his  fences 
and  turning  his  land  and  being  just  as  energetic  and  active 
in  January  as  he  is  in  May,  instead  of  that  he  is  loitering 
around  doing  nothing.  I don’t  need  any  tongue  of  the  proph- 
et to  tell  how  he  will  come  out  farming.  I have  seen  him 
down  South.  I have  watched  him,  and  I have  told  him  be- 
fore he  started  in  how  he  w^ould  come  out,  too.  Said  I,  “I’ll 
tell  you  what  will  happen  to  you.  You’ll  buy  your  corn 
from  the  West ; you  put  in  forty  acres  to  the  old  mule,” 
and,  said  I,  “ before  the  year  is  out  the  grass  will  have  your 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


157 


cotton  and  the  birds  will  have  your  wheat  and  the  buzzards 
will  have  your  mule  and  the  sheriff  will  have  you  (laugh- 
ter); and  that’s  about  where  you’ll  wind  up.”  Didn’t  mean 
anything — that’s  the  trouble.  (Laughter.) 

DOING  ONE’S  BEST. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  when  I see  a young  lawyer  poring 
over  his  books  day  after  day,  and  night  after  night,  he  burns 
the  midnight  oil,  and  I see  the  blood  fading  from  his  cheek, 
and  his  eyes  growing  brighter  every  day,  I don’t  need  the 
tongue  of  the  prophet  to  tell  you  there  will  be  one  day  a 
judge  of  the  Supreme  Court ; that  there  will  be  one  day  one 
of  the  finest  lawyers  that  America  ever  produced.  And 
so  on. 

You  let  me  watch  a fellow  the  first  three  months  after  he 
joins  the  church,  I can  tell  you  whether  he  means  business 
or  not.  I see  him  begin  to  lay  out  of  his  prayer  meetings 
and  begin  to  neglect  his  duty,  and  begin  to  think  that  he  has 
got  more  religion  than  he  wants,  and  he’ll  run  the  rule 
of  subtraction  or  division  through  it  instead  of  the  rule  of 
addition,  and  I know  just  about  where  he’ll  land  at.  You 
are  there  now.  (Laughter.)  When  I see  a man  come  into 
the  Church  of  God  Almighty  and  he  feels  like,  “ I’m  going 
to  take  every  chance  for  the  good  world,  I’m  going  to  get 
all  the  good  out  of  everything  that  comes  my  way  or  comes 
within  a mile  of  me  or  ten  miles  of  me,”  and  I see  him  do 
his  best  and  at  his  place,  and  he  is  drawing  in  from  all 
sources  in  heaven  and  earth,  and  I see  that  man  as  he  begins 
to  move  forward  in  his  church  and  begins  to  be  one  of  the 
pillars  in  church — I don’t  mean  p-i-l-l-o-w-s — you  got  a great 
many  of  this  sort  of  pillars  in  your  churches  in  this  town, 
good  old  cases  for  others  to  crawl  in  and  lay  their  heads  on 
and  go  to  sleep,  that  sort  of  pillows ! downy  fellows  • 
(Laughter.) 


i58 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


FINDING  FAULT  WITH  THE  CHURCH. 

Giving  all  diligence. 

I will  tell  you  wliat  surprises  me  sometimes.  See  old 
Brother  A go  down  Monday  morning  to  his  business,  and 
he  puts  all  his  blood  and  energy  and  money  and  muscles 
and  tact  into  his  business  from  Monday  morning  until  Sat- 
urday night,  and  all  the  energies  of  soul  and  body  are  bent 
on  pushing  his  business  forward,  and  he  is  taking  every 
turn,  and  using  every  means,  to  push  his  business  forward, 
and  then  comes  to  his  neglected  church  on  Sunday  morning 
and  takes  his  seat  and  sits  there  as  quiet  as  the  dead,  and 
when  the  service  is  over  he  goes  around  into  the  study,  and 
says  to  the  preacher  : “ What  in  the  world’s  the  matter 
with  the  church?  I can’t  see  to  save  my  life.  She’s  not 
moving  any.”  And  if  that  old  fellow  runs  his  business 
three  months  like  he  does  the  church,  the  sheriff  would 
wind  him  up,  and  settle  him  in  bankruptcy.  Talk  about  a 
man  running  his  business  like  we  do  our  churches  in  this 
country  ! Ah,  me  ! There  is  not  a man  in  this  house  that 
does  not'  know  his  business  will  go  into  bankruptcy  and  ruin 
if  he  devotes  no  more  time  to  it  than  we  devote  to  the 
church  of  God. 

DISPROPORTIONATE  TALENT. 

I’ll  tell  you  what  I have  got  a contempt  for  in  the  highest 
sense — a fellow  that  is  a first-class  lawyer  and  a tenth-rate 
Methodist ; he  is  the  best  lawyer  in  town,  but  the  worst 
member  of  his  -church.  Now,  sir,  that  sort  of  a fellow  isn’t 
worth  killing  in  any  country  in  heaven  or  earth.  I tell  you 
another  fellow  that  I have  got  a contempt  for.  It  is  this 
fellow  : lie  is  the  best  merchant  in  St.  Louis,  and  he  is 
about  a fifteenth-rate  Baptist.  There  is  another  fellow — 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


*59 


the  best  doctor  in  St.  Louis,  and  as  a Presbyterian  he  is  the 
deadest  failure  in  the  town.  (Laughter.)  Now,  if  a fellow 
is  no  account  anywhere,  the  Lord  can  sort  of  put  up  with 
his  being  no  account  in  the  church  ; but  if  he  is  a first-class 
anything  out  of  the  church,  God  wants  him  to  be  a first- 
class  everything  in  the  church,  don’t  you  see  ? 

Isn’t  it  strange,  brethren — now,  I don’t  single  out  any 
class  in  this  world  and  say  aught  against  them — but  isn’t  it 
strange  how  few  really  pious  lawyers  we  have  in  this  coun- 
try ? Isn’t  it  strange  ? It  takes  less  earnest  effort  to  be  a 
first-class  Christian  than  it  does  to  be  a first-class  lawyer, 
and  I’d  rather  be  one  first-class  Christian  than  to  be  every 
first-class  lawyer  in  the  universe. 

You  take  the  physicians  of  the  community.  One  of  my 
old  brethren — a physician  once — he  belonged  to  my  church, 
and  I got  after  him  about  not  coming  out,  and  he  said  that 
he  tried  his  best  to  get  there,  but  he  could  not.  “ Well,” 
said  I,  “ I’ll  tell  you,  old  fellow,  if  Heaven  was  a sickly 
country,  I don’t  believe  I’d  want  to  go  there.”  ,cWell,” 
he  said,  “ Why  ? ” “ Well,  I am  afraid  there  is  going  to  be 

very  few  doctors  there.”  I don't  know  what  in  the  world’s 
the  matter,  but  there  are  so  few  doctors  that  are  pious 
(laughter) ; but  when  you  do  find  one  that  is  thoroughly 
pious  he  is  one  of  the  best  men  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

THE  CHRISTIANITY  OF  PROFESSIONAL  MEN. 

What’s  the  matter  with  our  professional  men?  Have 
they  grown  too  big  to  be  religious?  Have  they  grown  up 
to  where  the  Bible  is  considered  their  mother’s  and  their 
little  children’s  book?  What  is  the  matter  ? Oh,  sir,  listen 
to  me  to-night.  The  grandest  lawyers  this  world  ever  pro- 
duced were  the  men  who  loved  and  lived  by  this  blessed 
book  I am  preaching  from  to-night.  The  best  physicians, 


l60  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

and  the  grandest  in  the  science  in  which  they  worked,  were 
men  who  read  this  book  and  loved  this  book,  and  when  they 
came  to  die,  they  said:  “Wife,  put  the  Bible  under  my 
head,  and  let  it  be  my  blessed  pillow  upon  which  I shall 
breathe  my  last.” 

I don’t  w^ant  any  better  evidence  of  the  upstart  than  a 
fellow  that  gets  too  big  to  like  the  Bible,  and  I declare  to 
you  that  it  has  reached  the  point  in  this  country  now,  if  a 
fellow  has  much  to  say  about  the  Bible  and  the  faith  of  this- 
book,  they  will  ridicule  him  ; they  will  say  he  is  a fool  that 
believes  everything — they  will  say  that.  Oh,  my  brethren^ 
when  I see  a Newton,  as  he  comes  down  from  his  observa- 
tory, just  now  numbering  and  counting  the  stars  as  he  swept 
his  telescope  across  the  skies,  and  I see  Newton  lay  down 
his  telescope  and  walk  down  into  his  closet  and  kneel  down 
and  pray  to  God,  and  walk  out  and  say  to  his  wife  : u Pre- 
cious wife,  I get  closer  to  God  on  my  knees  in  the  closet 
than  I was  just  now  in  my  observatory,  as  I was  counting 
and  numbering  the  stars  !”  The  little  fellow  got  too  much 
sense  to  believe  the  Bible ! A big  head  in  a man  is  a heap 
worse  than  it  is  in  a horse.  A horse  will  die  in  about  a> 
week,  but  the  poor  fellow  lives  on  in  the  way  of  all  the 
country,  one  of  these  knowing  fellows. 

THE  LORD  LIKES  THEM. 

The  Lord  likes  one  of  these  fellows  who  says,  “ I don’t 
know  much.”  A man  who  drops  down  on  his  knees 
every  morning  when  he  first  wakes  up  and  says,  “ Lord  God, 
go  with  me  this  day.  I am  poor  and  weak  and  miserable, 
and  ignorant  and  blind.  Oh,  Lord  ! I would  not  risk  my- 
self out  of  this  room  and  out  of  my  yard  to-day  unless  you- 
go  with  me.  Take  my  hand,  precious  Father,  and  ]ea%  me, 
because  I know  not  the  way.”  The  Lord  likes  one  of  these 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  l6l 

men  that  feels  in  his  heart,  “ I haven’t  got  sense  enough  to 
go  to  my  front  gate  and  back  unless  the  God  of  Heaven  will 
go  with  me.”  That  is  my  sort. 

Besides  this  giving  all  diligence,  add  unto  your  faith,  virtue. 

I like  this  rule  of  addition.  I like  it.  I want  more  and 
more,  and  still  there  is  more  to  follow.  I want  to  be  larger 
to-day,  and  better  to-day,  and  grander  to-day  than  yesterday. 
And  the  biggest  reason  in  the  world  why.  I’d  rather  live 
ten  years  longer  in  this  life  than  to  die  to-morrow — the 
biggest  reason  after  all  is  the  fact  that  in  the  next  ten  years, 
if  God  lets  me  live,  I intend  to  eliminate  much  that  is  evil 
about  me,  and  I intend  to  grow  and  develop  into  a grander 
Christian  man  than  I claim  to  be  to-night.  My  highest 
wish  for  a longer  period  of  life  is  that  before  the  day  of 
crystallization,  God  may  eliminate  from  me  all  that  is  evil, 
and  develop  me  into  all  that  is  good. 

THE  SEVEN  GRACES. 

Add  unto  your  faith,  virtue;  and  to  virtue,  knowledge;  and  to  knowl- 
edge, temperance;  and  to  temperance,  patience — 
enough  to  keep  a man  pious.  You  will  find  that  evil  here 
is  broad  and  deep  as  you  look  out. 

Add  unto  your  faith,  virtue. 

You  take  these  seven  graces  before  us  to-night.  Now,  six 
thousand  years  ago  God  said  “ Let  there  be  light,  and  there 
was  light,”  but  this  world  enjoyed  its  rays  for  thousands  of 
years  before  any  philosopher  analyzed  it  and  told  us  what 
pure,  white  light  was.  After  awhile  the  philosopher  stepped 
to  the  front  and  he  told  us  that  pure,  white,  physical  light 
was  the  symmetrical  blending  of  the  seven  primary  colors 
we  find  in  the  rainbow — red  and  white  and  orange  and  green, 
etc.  That  the  seventh  is  pure,  white,  physical  light. 

Jesus  Christ  said  to  liis  church: 

Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world. 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


162 

They  did  not  understand  Him.  But  Peter  studied  the 
question  and  stepped  forth  as  the  great  philosopher  in 
spiritual  things  and  tells  us  that  pure,  white,  spiritual  light 
is  the  symmetrical  blending  of  the  seven  primary  Christian 
graces — faith  and  courage  and  knowledge  and  temperance 
and  brotherly  kindness  and  charity.  The  seven  graces  will 
shed  forth  a light  that  will  indeed  light  the  whole  world. 

ARCHITECTS  FOR  ETERNITY. 

(y  ISTow,  brother,  let  us  change  the  figure  a moment  and 
look  at  it  in  this  way:  We  are  building  for  eternity.  Every 
man  ought  to  look  well  to  the  foundation.  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  great  foundation  upon  which  we  rest  all  our  hope  and 
all  our  experience  and  all  for  time  and  eternity.  Christ  is 
the  great  bedrock,  and  faith  in  him  as  we  build  this  spiritual 
temple,  faith  in  Christ,  is  the  first  rock  put  down.  And 
we  build  this  temple  without  the  sound  of  a hammer.  We 
build  this  temple  out  of  divine  material  and  according  to 
divine  direction,  and  the  first  rock  I put  down — the  bedrock 
— is  faith  : 

Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God. 

He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved. 

I may  say  that  my  heart  rests  upon  this  old  book;  I may 
say  that  I believe  this  book;  I may  say  that  I inherited  a 
faith  from  my  father  and  mother  in  this  blessed  book;  I 
may  say  there  is  not  a single  utterance  of  God  that  I doubt 
in  my  heart  to-night.  Call  me  a dupe  and  call  me  a fool, 
but  tell  them,  when  you  tell  them  I am  a dupe  and  a fool, 
tell  them  I am  a happy  dupe  and  I am  a joyful  fool. 

Faith  in  my  Bible  ? I believe  this  book ; I believe  this 
book,  and  this  book  has  blessed  thousands  of  men  before  I 
wras  born,  and  the  best  men  on  whom  I lean  every  day,  they 
whisper  back  in  my  ear,  u That  blessed  book  is  a lamp  to  my 
feet  and  a light  unto  my  path.”  This  blessed  book,  that 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


163 


never  misled  a human  step  and  never  misdirected  a human 
life;  this  book,  with  its  moral  so  pure  and  with  its  Christ  so 
ennobling  and  elevating  to  the  race — I believe,  I believe! 

RELIGIOUS  BELIEF. 

I believe  in  God  Almighty,  maker  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  in  Jesus  Christ,  his  only  begotten  Son,  our  Lord ; I be- 
lieve in  the  Holy  Ghost;  in  the  Church  of  God. 

I believe — I believe  there  is  power  in  God  and  virtue  in 
the  blood  of  Christ,  and  truth  in  the  Holy  Ghost;  and, 
brethren,  if  I didn’t  believe  that  book,  and  believe  God  was 
its  author,  and  God  was  with  me,  I’d  close  this  book  and 
close  my  mouth  and  leave  this  town  on  the  first  train  that 
left  for  my  home.  I believe  my  Bible;  and  when  the 
Christian  people  of  this  town  believe  this  book  we  are  going 
to  take  this  book  and  conquer  the  whole  city. 

I believe,  I believe  in  God,  as  He  is  the  father  of  all  men, 
preserver  of  all  life,  inspirer  of  all  that  is  good.  I believe 
in  God,  and  now  to  this  faith  in  God  and  faith  in  the  right, 
wdiat  is  the  next  rock  we  lay  down  ? See  how  this  will 
fit : 

Add  unto  your  faith,  virtue. 

Virtus — courage.  How,  don’t  you  see  that  if  a man  be- 
lieves he  is  right,  the  very  next  thing  he  wants  is  a courage 
that  dares  to  do  right  and  dares  to  be  true  ? I want  to  say 
at  this  point  that  I am  not  talking  about  physical  courage. 
I am  afraid  that  Christian  people  are  sometimes  physical 
cowards.  I do  not  want  a man  to  be  a physical  coward,  but 
above  all  things  deliver  me  from  a moral  coward.  I want 
to  tell  you  that  I have  searched  this  book  from  Genesis  to 
Revelations  and  I find  that  God  never  did  choose  a man  to 
do  a great  work  for  him  but  that  that  man  was  game  from 
head  to  foot.  God  despises  a coward. 


104 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


MORAL  COURAGE. 

Moral  courage ! Physical  courage  is  not  much.  Physical 
courage  will  march  me  right  up  into  the  blazing  mouth  of 
a cannon  without  shaking  a muscle  in  my  body,  but  that  is 
not  much.  I have  known  generals  and  colonels  and  majors 
and  captains  and  privates  in  this  last  war  that  never  had  a 
muscle  quiver  in  front  of  a cannon.  Yet  these  same  men 
after  coming  home  from  the  war  would  quake  and  wince 
and  whine  in  the  presence  of  public  opinion.  Afraid  of 
that ! Afraid  of  that ! 

And  I will  tell  you  another  thing  a fellow  needs  courage. 
There  are  a great  many  things  in  this  world  that  stand  look- 
ing a fellow  in  the  face  and  shake  their  fist  at  him,  and  if 
he  ain’t  got  the  grit  he  will  run,  no  doubt  about  it.  And 
I say  to-night  every  man  that  walks  out  before  this  world 
and  would  make  it  purer  and  better,  that  man  shall,  like  his 
Lord,  have  his  Gethsemane,  and  his  Pilate’s  bar,  and  his 
Judas  Iscariot  and  his  Simon  Peter  and  his  cross. 

I tell  you  another  thing.  I would  rather  face  every 
cannon  in  America  to-night  as  far  as  I am  personally  con- 
cerned, than  to  face  the  opinion  of  the  elite  society  of  St. 
Louis.  The  hollow,  miserable,  heartless,  godless  old  wretch 
that  society  is.  (Laughter  and  applause.)  Why,'  you  can 
get  on  the  street  cars  of  this  town,  so  1 have  been  told,  that 
are  filled  with  theater-going,  dancing,  godless  members  of 
the  church  and  Sam  Jones  is  their  text  from  the  time  you 
step  on  until  you  step  off.  (Laughter.) 

Some  say  he  is  a brute.  (Renewed  laughter.)  Some 
say  he  is  as  ignorant  as  a Southern  plantation  darkey.  Some 
say  he  is  a vicious  man.  Some  say  one  thing,  and  some 
another  thing,  and  they  shell  the  woods  for  a fellow.  It  is 
like  the  barking  of  a “ fise  ” dog  after  a fast  train — you  can 
hear  the  little  fellow  bark,  but  you  can  not  see  him. 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  1 65 

. Right  is  right,  and  stand  to  it,  and  when  the  last  storm 
of  passion  has  swept  over,  God  is  with  you.  That  is  more 
than  can  he  against  you,  and  that  is  all  that  you  need.  (Ap- 
plause.) You  attack  the  ball-rooms  in  this  town  and  every 
dancing,  worldly  member  of  the  church,  and  sinner,  too, 
turns  his  guns  right  loose  upon  you. 

PERSONAL  TO  SAM  JONES. 

And  I will  tell  you  another  thing.  I want  to  say  this  to 
encourage  you — good  Christian  brethren  that  need  just  a 
little  more  backbone  (laughter) — when  they  tell  you  Jones 
is  low-bred,  don’t  you  believe  them,  for  it  is  a lie  ! (Ap- 
plause.) 

When  they  tell  you  that  Jones  is  ignorant,  you  tell  them 
that  won’t  do ; that  J ones  will  go  into  a class  with  any  of 
them  to-morrow,  and  let  a professor  examine  them  on  any 
subject.  (Applause.)  What  do  you  say  to  that?  (Re- 
newed applause.) 

And  when  they  tell  you  that  Jones  came  from  bad  stock, 
you  tell  them  that  a purer,  nobler  woman  God  never  made 
than  my  mother,  and  that  a better,  purer  man  God  never 
let  live  than  my  precious  father.  (Applause.)  I am  from 
as  good  stock  as  God  ever  made.  (Tremendous  applause.) 

I want  to  tell  you  right  now  that  I never  was  in  society. 
(Laughter  and  applause.)  I reckon  that  one  reason  for 
this  is  that  I have  been  poor  all  my  life,  and  they  would 
have  objected  to  me  on  that  account.  They  would  never 
have  let  me  in,  anyhow.  They  would  have  known  that  I 
would  have  told  on  them,  and  they  don’t  want  any  tales 
told  out  of  school.  I have  found  that  out.  But  I did  not 
mean  to  say  anything  about  society  now.  We  shall  take 
that  up  later.  We  will  shake  it,  till  it  is  ready  to  be  turned 
loose  when  we  get  through  with  it.  (Applause.) 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


1 66 

There  are  things  in  your  city  day  after  day  and  night 
after  night  that  are  enough  to  make  a thousand  mothers  and 
fathers  in  this  town  call  a halt,  and  say:  “ You  had  better 
stop  right  here.  This  thing  has  gone  far  enough.’5  (Ap- 
plause.) I tell  you,  mothers  and  fathers,  if  you  will  open 
your  eyes  and  look  around  you  a little  you  will  call  “ Halt ! 
halt!  halt!  I will  shoot  you  down  if  you  take  another 
step.”  And  I know  when  a man  begins  to  talk  about  these 
things,  I know  how  little  MissFinnicky  and  old  brother 
Finnicky  and  the  whole  devil’s  crowd  will  sit  upon  him.  I 
have  been  around  before.  (Applause.) 

PREACHING  LIKE  HIS  MASTER. 

Courage  ! Courage  ! Jesus  Christ,  the  great  exemplar  in 
Christianity,  he  preached  his  own  gospel,  and  when  he  did, 
do  you  recollect  that  on  one  occasion  a vast  multitude 
turned  their  backs  on  him  and  walked  off  in  disgust,  and 
Jesus  turned  to  his  disciples  and  said:  “ Will  ye  also  go 
away?”  And  Simon  Peter  said : “Lord  to  whom  shall  we 
go  ? For  thou  has  the  words  of  eternal  life.”  I do  not  be- 
lieve I ever  preached  the  gospel  as  plainly  as  my  Master 
preached  it,  for  I have  never  had  a congregation  to  “ rush 
out  ” on  me,  and  if  ever  I preach  to  a St.  Louis^congregation 
and  see  the  people  jump  up  and  run  out  of  the  house,  I will 
jump  up  too]and  “ holler,”  “Glory  to  God ! I am  preaching 
like  my  Master  now.”  (Applause.)  But  that  would  not  be 
any  joke  on  me.  Everywhere  I have  ever  worked,  God 
bless  you,  they  would  say  you  people  in  St.  Louis  were  so 
mean  you  would  not  hear  Sam  Jones.  They  would  brag 
on  me  and  cuss  you.  That  is  about  the  way  the  thing 
would  go. 

Courage  that  dares  to  be  right  and  dares  to  be  true.  If 
a thing  is  wrong,  fight  it ! fight  it ! If  it  is  right,  stand  up 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE. 


167 


for  it,  if  every  man  on  earth  is  against  yon.  Stand  and  fight 
and  fight  and  fight,  and  when  you  go  down  and  think  you 
are  alone,  I tell  you  that  when  the  din  and  smoke  of  the 
battle  has  blown  away  and  you  open  your  eyes  you  will 
find  God  and  the  angels  and  good  men  standing  around 
you.  (Applause.) 

Courage,  brother ! Now  what  does  this  mean  ? One 
time  Peter’s  courage  failed  him,  and  of  all  the  times  in  the 
world  it  was  the  time  that  Peter’s  courage  ought  to  have 
held  good.  Yonder  his  Lord,  defenseless  and  alone,  given 
over  to  his  enemies,  stood  before  the  cruel  crowd,  and  they 
spat  upon  him  and  buffeted  him  and  platted  a crown  of 
thorns  and  pressed  it  on  his  temple  until  the  blood  ran  down 
his  cheeks.  And  Peter  stood  there  looking  at  it,  no  doubt, 
until  his  very  blood  boiled.  And  there  was  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Son  of  Man  without  a friend  in  the  world  he  came 
to  redeem.  There  Peter  stood  out  in  the  distance,  and  when 
the  fatal  moment  came  the  people  approached  him  and  said  : 
“ You  are  one  of  his  disciples,”  and  Peter  answered  : “ No, 
I am  not  one  of  his  disciples.”  And  then  again  they  ap- 
proached him  and  said : “You  are  one  of  his  disciples.” 
He  said:  “ No,  I am  not  one  of  his  disciples.”  And  again, 
a little  girl  approached  him  and  said  : “ You  are  one  of 

his  disciples,”  and  Peter  cursed  and  swore  with  an  oath  and 
said  : “ I do  not  know  him.” 

f 

WHAT  A GRAND  OCCASION. 

Brother,  I do  not  object  to  the  way  God’s  word  is  writ- 
ten, but  I have  wished  a thousand  times  that  when  my  Mas- 
ter stood  there,  without  a friend  in  the  world,  and  they 
approached  Peter,  I have  wished  that  Peter  had  rushed  up 
by  the  Son  of  God  and  said  : “ I am  one  of  his  disciples  and 
I will  die  by  his  side.”  If  he  had  done  that  I believe  that 


sam  Jones’  sermons. 


i 68 

God  would  have  rushed  every  angel  in  heaven  down  to 
Peter’s  side  and  not  have  suffered  a hair  of  his  head  to  be 
touched.  And  we  have  forsaken  our  Master  when  he  did 
not  have  a friend  in  the  world ! 

Courage!  Courage  ! I tell  you,  this  sickly  sentimentalism 
that  we  have  that  God’s  people  are  a peaceful,  quiet  and 
get-out-the-devil’s-way  sort  of  people  is  a mistake.  Down 
in  my  State  I have  been  preaching  prohibition,  and  in 
Georgia  I have  gone  into  those  counties  where  prohibition 
was  being  fought  the  hardest  and  said  : “ Brethren  of  the 

church,  take  a stand  and  hold  it.  Do  not  let  a barkeeper 
that  has  not  got  more  than  three  gallons  of  whisky,  and 
that  bought  on  credit,  come  out  on  the  square  on  election 
day  with  an  old  rusty  pistol  in  his  hand  that  hasn’t  been 
loaded  since  the  war,  and  curse  two  or  three  times  and  talk 
loud  and  run  every  member  of  the  church  out  of  town. 
God  have  mercy  on  you  pusillanimous  wretches,”  said  I. 
“ Hold  your  ground  and  tell  them  that  if  they  can  die  for 
their  infernal  traffic  you  can  die  for  those  precious  children.” 
(Applause.)  And  I said:  “ Go  on  and  God’s  approval  will 
rest  with  you.” 

THE  POWER  OE  COURAGE.  , 

There  was  a day  when  one  of  God’s  armies  was  battling 
with  the  enemies  of  God.  Joshua,  the  commander,  was 
fighting  wTith  all  the  ransomed  powers  at  his  back,  and  the 
enemy  wras  being  beaten  down  in  front  of  the  ranks  of  God’s 
hosts.  But  Joshua  looked  up  and  saw  that  the  sun  was  go- 
ing dowm,  and  he  looked  up  and  said:  “ Oh,  God,  if  you 
will  give  me  two  or  three  hours  more  sunshine  I’ll  put  this 
army  to  flight  and  wTill  win  a victory  that  shall  make  thine 
armies  famous  forever.”  And  God  turned  and  told  the  sun 
to  go  back  on  the  dial,  and  “ don’t  you  move  an  inch  until 


HOW  TO  LEAD  A CHRISTIAN  LIFE.  169 

Joshua  routs  this  army  root  and  branch  and  sweeps  it  almost 
from  the  face  of  the  earth.”  And  I tell  you  God  will  make 
the  sun  stand  still  in  the  heavens  and  the  moon  not  move  in 
the  Valley  of  Ajalon,  if  God’s  people  ever  have  the  courage 
to  stand  up  and  dare  to  be  right  and  dare  to  be  true 
(Applause.) 

Well,  what  if  you  do  get  killed  in  the  right?  It  is  just  a 
nigh  cut  to  Heaven  if  you  are  all  right.  Don’t  you  see? 
Getting  scared  and  running  from  Heaven!  What  do  you 
think  of  that?  Well,  I never  made  much  of  a practice  of 
being  afraid  of  folks  before  I had  religion,  and,  thank  God, 
I am  not  now  afraid  of  the  universe  if  I am  in  the  right- 
Sometimes  I am  afraid  I ain’t  exactly  right,  but  if  God 
says  “ Go  it,”  I know  I am  not  afraid. 

Courage  that  dares  to  do  right.  Add  to  your  faith  the 
courage  of  your  convictions.  I have  told  them  all  over  the 
country,  these  cotton-string  backbone  fellows  in  the  Church 
of  God,  with  a little  old  slack-twisted  cotton  string  run  up 
the  back,  and  two  or  three  ribs  knit  to  it  on  one  side,  who 
call  themselves  Christians,  you  know.  God  bless  you,  I 
want  to  be  about  95  per  cent  backbone.  ( Applause.)  That 
makes  good  proportion  for  a man  that  proposes  to  do  any- 
thing. (Applause.) 

Afraid ! afraid  ! afraid  ! Afraid  of  nothing  but  the  wrong. 
I will  do  the  right  and  trust  in  God.  I will  stand  up  for 
the  right  and  do  the  right. 

And  to  courage  acid  knowledge ; and  to  knowledge,  temperance;  and 
to  temperance,  patience. 

CONCLUDING  WORDS. 

I wish  I had  time  to  run  over  all  these  words,  but  my 
hour  is  out  and  I will  just  close  with  this  last  thought: 

And  to  godliness,  brotherly  kindness ; and  to  brotherly  kindness,  char- 
ity- 


170 


SAM  JONES5  SERMONS. 


Now  as  the  first  rock  we  lay  down  faith  in  God.  The 
next  rock  is  courage  that  dares  to  execute  what  we  know  is 
right.  The  next  rock  is  knowledge.  You  want  to  know 
how  to  do  it.  The  next  is  temperance.  You  want  a regu- 
lating force,  and  the  next  is  patience,  toward  God  and  all 
mankind.  The  next  is  godliness  ; the  next  brotherly  kind- 
ness, and  then  charity,  the  keystone  we  drop  into  the  arch 
and  the  building  is  finished,  and  God  stoops  down  and  puts 
one  hand  under  it  and  the  other  on  the  top  and  trans- 
plants that  mansion  to  the  beautiful  streets  of  the  city  of 
God.  And  there  is  my  “ house  not  made  with  hands,  eter- 
nal in  the  heavens.” 

God  help  us  to  build  on  that  platform,  and  build  upon  that 
line,  and  by  and  by  we  shall  be  transplanted  in  our  eternal 
home.  The  fact  is,  that  when  you  begin  right  and  go  on 
right,  your  house  is  not  really  moved.  God  just  runs  the 
streets  of  the  new  Jerusalem  right  along  in  front  of  where 
you  build,  and  your  house  is  forever  on  the  streets  of  the 
city  of  God,  and  it  is  there  to  stay  forever  and  ever.  God 
bless  you  all. 

And  now  I want  every  man  in  this  house,  earnest  brother 
hear  me,  every  man  that  would  build  on  this  pattern  as  a 
Christian  man,  whether  you  are  in  the  church  or  not,  will 
you  conscientiously  stand  up  with  me  and  say,  “ Sir,  I tell 
you  in  response  to  the  truth  you  have  preached,  I want  to 
build  on  that  pattern,  and,  God  helping  me,  I will  do  it.” 
Now,  every  person  here  that  feels  that  way,  stand  up.  Let 
us  see  how  many  men  would  build  on  that  platform. 

( All  in  the  hall  rose  and  Mr.  Jones  dismissed  them  with 
the  benediction.) 


THE  CHEERFUL  CHRISTIAN. 


I7I 


THE  CHEERFUL  CHRISTIAN. 


The  4th  verse  of  the  37tli  Psalm — - 

Delight  thyself  also  in  the  Lord,  and  He  shall  give  thee  the  desires 
of  thy  heart. 

The  Lord  loves  the  cheerful  singer,  the  cheerful  prayer, 
and  all  who  take  a cheerful  spirit  in  their  work.  I can’t 
conceive  where  this  notion  that  every  one  who  works  for 
the  Lord  must  be  sad,  originated.  It  must  be  some  relic  of 
heathenism  or  paganism.  It  is  a blessing  to  any  church 
to  have  a bright,  joyous,  cheerful  congregation.  Hike  to 
see  my  children  happy,  and  when  I see  them  sad  and  hang 
their  heads  I know  that  there  is  something  wrong.  Sup- 
pose you  had  a servant  at  home  wdio  always  wore  a discon- 
tented look,  and  whenever  you  told  her  to  do  anything,  she 
did  it  very  reluctantly.  Do  you  think  you  would  keep  her 
long?  Well,  I guess  not.  You  would  ask  your  husband 
to  discharge  her  before  her  week  was  up.  You  would 
much  rather  do  your  own  work.  The  Lord  watches  us  how 
we  go  about  his  work.  If  we  go  along  sadly  and  discon- 
tentedly and  are  very  reluctant  in  executing  his  labors,  he 
will  call  the  angel  and  say:  “ Just  erase  his  name  from  the 
list  of  my  servants.  I will  do  the  work  myself.”  Some  of 
us  profess  to  be  servants  of  the  Lord,  but  work  for  the 
devil,  and  come  around  at  the  end  of  the  week  and  want 
the  Lord  to  pay  for  our  services.  I like  the  servant  who 
goes  about  his  work  with  a smile  and  says:  “I  am  glad  I 
have  this  to  do.”  When  I hear  a preacher  talking  way 
down  in  his  throat  in  that  sad  and  solemn  voice,  I want  to 
get  my  hat  and  get  out  as  soon  as  I can.  If  Congress 
should  say  Sam  Jones  could  never  preach  another  sermon 


172 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


in  this  country,  I would  take  the  first  steamer  for  some 
other  place.  I like  to  preach. 

THE  FEAR  OF  DEATH  AS  A MORAL  STIMULUS. 

I asked  a sister  this  morning  that  if  she  had  the  choice  of 
removing  any  one  thing,  what  it  would  be,  and  she  an- 
swered, “Death.”  If  death  were  to  be  removed,  religion 
would  amount  to  nothing.  If  every  one  in  St.  Louis  knew 
that  they  were  not  going  to  die  for  the  next  hundred  years, 
I would  have  to  close  up  shop.  The  people  would  say, 
“Good-by,  Jones,  religion  and  Hell.  We’ve  got  a snap  on 
this  thing  for  the  next  ninety-five  years,  and  we’ve  got  no 
use  for  you.”  Then,  just  before  the  hundred  years  had  ex- 
pired and  they  knew  they  were  going  to  die,  they  would 
come  around  again  and  want  to  get  religion.  Death  is  the 
only  thing  that  makes  religion.  Serious  meetings  are  not 
recognized  by  God,  and  they  are  beneath  the  devil’s  con- 
tempt. Do  you  know  what  the  matter  is?  Why,  nine- 
tenths  of  the  members  were  off  playing  euchre  or  some 
other  game. 

Mr.  Jones  asked  Rev.  W.  V.  Tudor,  who  occupied  a seat 
on  the  platform,  about  how  many  of  his  congregation  played 
cards.  Mr.  Tudor  replied  that  he  didn’t  know  of  any. 

“Well,”  said  the  revivalist,  “then  you’ve  got  the  best 
church  in  the  world.  Now,  all  who  are  present  that  don’t 
play  cards  please  stand  up.”  About  one  fourth  of  the  con- 
gregation arose. 

“ There’s  proof  for  you,”  continued  Mr.  Jones,  turning  to 
Mr.  Tudor.  “Well,”  responded  the  latter,  “there  are  none 
of  the  members  of  my  church  among  them.” 

Mr.  Jones  then  spoke  of  the  harm  caused  by  card  playing, 
germans  and  other  social  gatherings. 


EXHORTING. 


173 


EXHORTING. 


AN  INTRODUCTORY  TALK. 

Mr.  Jones,  after  announcing  a service  for  men  only,  said : 

I want  to  ask  every  good  woman  in  the  house  to  pray  de- 
voutly to-night  and  in  the  morning,  and  especially  watch 
your  clock,  and  when  the  minute  hand  stands  at  12  and  the 
hour  hand  at  3,  will  you  go  to  some  secret  place  and  pray 
the  blessing  of  God  upon  this  men’s  service  ? I am  very 
much  encouraged,  indeed,  in  the  work  of  this  meeting 
before  us.  I receive  letters  from  many  places,  saying : “Our 
prayers  are  being  poured  out  to  God  for  St.  Louis  and  for 
the  success  of  your  work  there.”  I verily  believe,  brethren, 
there  are  not  less  than  500,000  Christian  people  to-day 
praying  to  God  to  bless  St.  Louis.  And  how  can  these 
services  be  otherwise  than  a blessing  to  your  city?  Let  us 
unite  our  hands  and  our  hearts  in  this  work.  I hope  next 
week  the  harvest  will  begin — the  harvest  of  souls. 

BEATING  THE  GOATS. 

I have  had  nothing  to  say  to  the  irreligious  out  of  church 
this  week,  and  I have  frequently  thought  of  the  old  brother 
who  asked  the  preacher  to  preach  from  a certain  text. 
“ Well,”  said  the  preacher,  “what  text  is  it?”  “ Well,”  he 
said,  “ it  is  that  text  where  the  Savior  asked  Simon  Peter, 
did  he  love  him,  and  Simon  said,  ‘ Yes,  Lord,’  and  the 
Savior  said,  ‘ Well,  then,  beat  my  sheep.’  ” “ No,”  said  the 

preacher,  ‘ feed  my  sheep.’  ” “ Oh,”  said  the  old  brother, 

“ 1 thought  you  misread  that  place.  I thought  you  read  it 
this  way:  ‘Beat  my  sheep.’”  Now,  I want  it  distinctly 
understood  I have  not  misread  that  passage  of  Scrip- 


174 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


ture.  My  rule  is  to  feed  tlie  sheep  and  heat  the  goats,  and 
if  you  have  been  struck  at  all  it’s  because  you  are  a goat. 
You  can  put  that  down.  (Laughter.)  I haven’t  struck  a 
sheep  since  I have  been  here.  I don’t  strike  them,  hut  feed 
the  sheep — strike  the  goats — and  it’s  owing  to  what  you  are 
whether  you  have  been  hit  or  not,  and  I hope  after  this 
that  we  shall  all  be  sheep  in  the  pastures  of  the  Lord,  and 
that  we  will  go  to  the  work  in  true  love  and  sympathy. 

The  sermon  which  followed  was  by  Brother  Sam.  W.  Small,  of  Atlanta, 
upon  the  sins  of  modern  idolatry,  such  as  blasphemy,  Sabbath-breaking, 
lying  and  drinking — a good,  square  sermon,  with  plenty  of  classical  al- 
lusions. At  the  close,  Mr.  Jones  rose  to  his  feet  and  said: 

This  service,  brethren,  is  rather  an  unusual  service  in  the 
city — Saturday  night  service — and  we  wind  up  the  business 
of  this  week.  And  we’ll  wind  up  life  after  a while.  What 
will  we  be  then?  Oh,  to  be  a grand,  a pure,  a noble  man, 
is  the  assurance,  and  the  only  assurance,  that  we’ll  be  happy 
and  pure  and  noble  forever.  I am  very  anxious  indeed  to 
see  us  not  only  right  ourselves,  but  I am  so  anxious  to  see 
the  sinners  of  this  towm  saved.  When  all  the  church  mem- 
bers get  right — if  such  a consummation  could  be  brought 
about — then  we  have  only  prepared  ourselves  to  do  the 
wrork  God  wants  us  to  do. 

I will  tell  you  how  I feel  about  it.  I have  been  feeling 
a good  deal  since  1 have  been  here.  I have  pulled,  and 
pulled,  and  pulled  at  different  times  in  different  places  in 
my  life;  and  here  I have  pulled  and  pulled.  Sometimes  it 
looked  like  all  the  world  wras  a load  and  I was  pulling.  And, 
brethren,  I have  reached  the  point  now  where  you  ought 
to  pull  some  and  you  ought  to  push  some.  I will  tell  you 
what  is  true.  If  God  Almighty  had  blessed  me  with  the 
money  that  some  of  you  have — and  you  may  not  have  a great 
deal — if  God  Almighty  had  blessed  me  with  such  a home  as 
some  of  you  have,  and  with  so  many  blessings  as  He  has 


EXHORTING.  175 

blessed  you,  Fd  put  in  the  next  week  for  Him  as  no  Chris- 
tian in  this  town  ever  put  in  a week  for  God. 

TOO  FOND  OF  NICKELS. 

We’ll  never  do  anything  with  this  town,  with  this  city, 
when  the  Christian  world  looks  like  you  can  just  take 
nickels  and  scatter  them  along,  one  every  ten  feet,  and  tote 
them  right  into  Hell  with  them.  We’ll  never  do  anything 
with  this  world,  never!  Three  thousand  people  out  at 
night,  five  hundred  out  in  daytime.  What’s  the  difference? 
No  nickels  at  night  to  be  gathered  up  around  as  they  are  in 
the  daytime.  U I believe  I’ll  gather  nickels  and  let  souls  go 
to  Hell  ” — that’s  about  the  schedule  they  run.  (Sensation.) 

I will  tell  you  another  thing.  You  need  not  say  I am  a 
fool — and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  I’ve  got  a wife  and  I’ve 
got  children  to  support,  just  like  you  have,  and  I love  my 
wife  and  children,  just  as  you  do ; but  I tell  you  one  thing, 
here  is  one  man  that  is  going  to  do  his  duty  every  day  to 
God  and  the  right,  and  if  me  and  my  wife  and  children 
starve  to  death  we’ll  make  out  like  we  died  with  typhoid 
fever  (laughter) ; we’ll  not  say  one  word  about  it  in  any  way, 
shape  or  form.  (Laughter.)  But  I want  to  see  one  man 
starve  that  is  doing  his  duty. 

And  we’ll  never  take  this  town  for  Christ,  and  you  down 
town  at  your  business  every  hour  of  the  day,  and  when 
night  comes  pin  on  the  pinions  of  an  old  owl,  and  flap  out 
and  come  to  meeting.  (Laughter.)  We  won’t  do  it. 

YES,  THEY  WOULD  BE. 

I will  tell  you.  God  Almighty  sent  this  very  work  along 
here  in  St.  Louis  .to  prepare  some  of  you  members  of  the 
church  for  your  coffins,  and  to  prepare  many  a sinner  in 
this  town  for  eternity.  And  if  an  angel  were  to  alight  on 


176 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


this  stand  this  moment  and  say,  “Ten  Methodists  in  this 
town  will  he  in  their  coffins  next  Saturday  night.”  Ah, 
me! — without  mentioning  any  names — I’ll  tell  you  every 
soul  that  is  in  this  house  to-night  would  be  here  every  time 
this  bell  rings.  You  are  going  to  die  next  Saturday  night, 
I don’t  know  whether  it  is  me  or  somebody  else,  there’s  ten 
of  us,  and  may  be  fifty  of  you,  will  be  in  your  coffins  next 
Saturday  night. 

We  have  no  time  to  throw  away  in  this  work.  One  third 
of  my  time  is  gone  now.  I have  no  time  or  disposition  to 
come  here  and  camp  with  you  all  through  the  winter — 
three  or  four  or  six  months.  I expect  to  be  away  from 
here,  and  before  the  first  day  of  February  I expect  to  see 
thousands  of  souls  converted  in  another  city.  I expect  to  ; 
verily  I do.  I have  no  time  to  fool  away  with  you  all.  If 
you  want  me  and  you  say  so,  I am  your  man,  under  God  ; 
but  if  you  don’t,  I want  you  to  say  so.  I will  take  the  first 
train  that  leaves  this  town  Monday  morning. 

You  ain’t  in  earnest.  You  don’t  mean  anything.  I can 
buy  out  your  interest  in  this  meeting  for  a quarter  (laugh- 
ter), and  I expect  a great  many  of  you  haven’t  made  a quar- 
ter each  day  while  we  were  here  serving  and  praying  and 
working  the  best  way  we  could. 

A DEARTH  OF  GOOD  WOMEN. 

I believe  it’s  the  first  meeting  I ever  run  in  my  life  when 
there  were  more  men  out  at  any  service  than  women;  and  I 
tell  you  when  it  gets  so  good  women  in  a city  are  scarce, 
things  are  getting  mighty  bad,  they  are,  sure’s  you’re  born. 
There  ain’t  any  doubt  about  that.  (Laughter.)  I’ve  seen 
a few  towns  where  good  men  were  scarce,  but  I believe 
you’ve  got  less  earnest  Christian  women  in  this  town  than 
any  town  I have  ever  known  of  its  size.  What  do  you 
think  about  that  ? 


EXHORTING. 


1 77 


Now,  there  is  no  use  in  quibbling  over  the  matter  at  all, 
brethren.  If  St.  Joseph  can  rush  up  under  a tent  four 
times  a day  and  turn  everything  loose — and  God  has  blessed 
that  town  as  I scarcely  know  God  has  ever  blessed  a town 
in  the  United  States  of  America  of  its  size — almost  literally 
redeemed  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  how  came  that?  The  people 
got  interested  and  took  stock  ; don’t  you  see  ? That  wras  all. 
Now,  how  may  we  obtain  just  such  a blessing?  By  getting 
interested  and  taking  stock. 

ST.  LOUIS  AS  A TOMB  FOR  EVANGELISTS. 

I will  tell  you  how  I feel  about  it.  I can  afford  to  fail. 
Christ  could  afford  to  fail  in  some  places,  for  in  some  places^ 
he  didn’t  do  many  wonderful  works.  What  paper  is  it — 
the  Catholic  paper  in  your  city — that  that  article  was  in  to- 
day that  you  spoke  of  about  burying  ? 

Bro.  Small. — Yes;  the  Western  Watchman. 

Bro.  Jones. — The  Western  Watchman  says:  “ Jones  has 
come  here  to  be  buried.”  It  says:  “We  buried  Moody 
here,  and  he  has  never  done  anything  since  ; and  we  buried 
Harrison  here,  and  he  has  never  done  anything  since.”  I 
believe  that  is  about  the  sense  of  the  article.  “And  Jones 
has  come  to  St.  Louis  to  be  buried.”  Yes  ; I will  be  the 
livest  man  that  was  ever  buried  in  this  community.  (Ap- 
plause.) You’ll  never  bury  Jones — I’ll  say  that  to  you. 
( Laughter.)  My  faith  in  God  and  faith  in  the  right  and 
faith  in  the  cross  of  Christ  will  be  as  strong  when  I leave 
this  city  if  not  a single  soul  is  blessed  as  it  shall  be  if  100,000 
are  blessed.  My  faith  in  God  Almighty  don’t  depend  upon 
what  the  Christian  people  in  St.  Louis  will  or  will  not  do. 
I have  no  notion  of  going  into  my  grave  till  I die  (laughter) 
and  then  I will  go  in  as  gracefully  and  as  dignified  as  a man 
ever  did  (laughter)  but  I will  never  be  graceful  or  dignified 
12 


I78  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

until  I do  die.  (Laughter.)  That  is  just  the  way  I feel 
about  it. 

Well,  now,  I don’t  like  to  call  up  the  memories  of  the 
war,  not  at  all ; and  if  there  is  any  section  in  all  America 
that  the  war  question  brings  up  sad  memories  it  is  here 
in  Missouri.  I would  not  lift  the  mantle  and  veil  of  charity 
from  a single  scar  that  was  left  by  the  war.  Not  that. 

A RATTLE  STORY. 

But  let  me  tell  you  a little  war  incident.  I do  not  care 
which  side  you  were  on.  You  admire  a brave  man,  to 
whichever  side  he  belonged.  I do.  I love  a brave  man 
to-day,  whether  he  wore  the  blue  or  wore  the  gray.  I like 
a brave  man,  for  me  or  against  me.  I despise  a coward  in 
blue  or  gray.  When  Johnston  turned  over  his  army  to 
Hood  in  Atlanta — Joe  Johnston,  that  carried  his  army  on 
back  and  back,  retreating  before  Sherman  until  he  reached 
Atlanta — and  there  Johnston  turned  over  his  army  to  Hood. 
Hood  was  a gallant  and  brave  man.  He  had  already  lost 
one  of  his  limbs,  one  of  his  legs,  in  battle,  and  when  he  took 
charge  of  Johnston’s  army,  he  came  round  back  into  Ten- 
nessee with  it,  and,  you  recollect,  fought  the  Woody  battle 
of  Frankhn,  perhaps  one  of  the  most  Woody  battles  of  the 
war.  When  that  batBe  was  waging  hot  and  thick,  Gen. 
Hood’s  tent  was  on  a prominence,  and  from  that  \ romi- 
nence  Gen.  Hood  in  waiving  up  and  down  in  front  of  his 
tent,  could  see  the  battfe.  He  couM  see  lines  and  he  could 
hear  the  booming  of  the  cannon  and  the  rattle  of  the 
musketry.  And  as  he  walked  up  and  down  in  front  of  the 
tent,  halting  with  his  artificial  leg,  every  time  he  turned  his 
eyes  down  toward  the  lines  he  saw  that  there  was  a fort  out  in 
the  locust  grove  that  was  literally  hewing  down  his  ranksby 
the  hundred.  Every  time  he  walked  up  and  down  in  front 


EX  HOISTING. 


179 


of  his  tent,  limping  as  lie  walked,  and  every  time  he  turned 
liis  face  toward  the  lines,  he  saw  that  fort  in  the  locust 
grove  was  literally  hewing  down  his  ranks.  And  he 
watched  the  tight  for  more  than  an  hour,  perhaps,  and  then 
he  called  his  adjutant-general  to  him.  That  officer  rode  up 
on  his  bloody  horse  and  Gen.  Hood  said:  “ Adjutant,  go  and 
presen  t my  compliments  to  Gen.  Cheatham,  and  tell  him  I ask 
at  his  hands  that  fort  in  the  locust  grove.”  The  adjutant 
general  loped  off  with  all  the  speed  of  his  horse.  In  a 
few  minutes  he  returned  and  said  : “ Gen.  Hood,  Gen. 
Cheatham  is  missing.  They  think  lie  has  been  killed.  He 
has  not  been  seen  in  two  hours.”  Gen.  Hood  drooped  his 
head  and  marched  up  and  down  in  front  of  his  tent,  and 
every  time  he  turned  his  face  to  the  lines  that  fort  in  the  \ - 
cust  grove  was  literally  hewing  his  ranks  to  the  ground.  And 
directly  he  called  his  adjutant-general  again  and  he  said  : 
“ Adjutant-general,  go  and  present  my  compliments  to  Gen 
Claiborne,  and  tell  him  I ask  at  his  hands  the  fort  in  the  Iccust 
grove.”  Tlie  adjutant  general  loped  off  down  the  lines  and 
in  a few  moments  came  back  and  said:  Gen.  Hoed,  Gen. 
Claiborne  is  dead  on  the  battle  field.” 

CALLING  ON  COCK  KELL. 

Gen.  Hood  droored  his  head  and  the  tears  ran  down  his 
cheeks  as  he  marched  up  and  down  in  front  of  liis  tent.  He 
looked  through  the  tears  as  they  glistened  in  liis  eyes  and  saw 
that  the  fort  in  the  locust  grove  was  hewing  down  his  ranks 
to  the  ground.  And  directly  he  called  his  adjutant-general 
again  and  he  said:  “ Adjutant-general,  go  and  present  my 
love  ” — he  is  softening  down  now,  no  longer  compliments — 
“ Adjutant-general,  go  and  \ resent  my  love  to  Gen.  Cockrell 
and  tell  him  1 ask  at  his  hands  that  fort  in  the  locust 
gro\e.”  The  adjutant-geneial  lo]  ed  off  down  the  line  and 


i8o 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


up  to  Gen.  Cockrell — I believe  be  is,  perhaps,  from  your  city 
or  State — one  of  the  youngest  generals  in  the  Southern 
army.  The  adjutant-general  rode  up  to  him  and  said : 
“Gen.  Cockrell,  Gen.  Hood  sends  you  his  love,  and  says  he 
asks  at  your  hands  that  fort  in  the  locust  grove.55  Gen. 
Cockrell  straightened  himself  up  in  his  saddle  and  said : 
66  First  Missouri  Brigade,  attention  ! 55  and  he  dropped  his 
fingers  on  that  fort.  They  charged  upon  the  fort  with  in- 
trepid courage  and  captured  it,  and  Gen.  Cockrell  called  his 
adjutant-general  and  said  : “ Adjutant-general,  go  and  present 
my  love  to  Gen.  Hood,  and  tell  him  that  I also  present  him 
the  fort  in  the  locust  grove.55 

And  I want  to  tell  you  Christian  people  here  to-night, 
whether  that  incident  be  true  or  not,  it  illustrates  what  I 
desire  to  say  to  you.  I am  here  as  the  adjutant-general  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  I say  to  you  Christian  people,  as 
I point  over  this  wicked  city,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
presents  his  love  to  you  Christian  people,  and  he  wants  at 
your  hands  every  fort  of  sin  in  this  community,  and  in  less 
than  thirty  days  I hope  you  all  with  one  accord  will  say  : 
“ Lord  Jesus,  we  present  our  love  to  Thee,  and  we  also  pre- 
sent the  city  redeemed  by  Thy  grace.55  (Loud  applause  and 
cries  oi  “ Amen.55) 

THE  EXHORTATION". 

I want  every  Christian  man  that  is  ready  to  march  out 
into  line,  not  to  fight  his  fellow  man,  but  to  bring  his  neigh- 
bors and  friends  to  God  and  do  what  he  can  for  the  race. 
This  coming  week  I will  do  my  best,  and  I want  every 
Christian  in  this  house  of  every  denomination  who  feels 
like  saying:  “ God  is  my  helper;  I will  go  into  the  fight  and 
pray  and  work  and  do  my  best;55  I want  every  such  an  one  to 
stand  up;  and  I hope  you  will  all  stand  up  immediately  and 


EXHORTING. 


1 8 1 


say  : “ That  is  my  honest  conviction.  I want  to  go  into  the 
fight.  I want  to  do  my  best.” 

All  in  the  church  rose  to  their  feet. 

Well,  thank  God  for  this  Saturday  night  meeting.  God 
bless  this  service  to  the  good  of  every  Christian  here.  Now, 
we  say  to  you  all,  we  want  the  battle  to  begin  now; 
we  want  the  battle  to  be  pushed  on  now,  and  to-morrow 
morning,  at  10:30  o’clock,  I am  to  preach  here;  at  3 o’clock 
sharp  to  men  only,  in  the  Music  Hall,  and  Lord  God  help  me 
to  take  u that  fort  in  the  locust  grove  ” to-morrow  after- 
noon. If  you  good  women  will  pray  as  you  ought,  you  will 
hear  of  such  a meeting  as  St.  Louis  never  had  before. 
God,  give  us  power,  and  I want  to  tell  you  nothing  but  the 
power  of  God  can  ever  reach  this  city.  (A  voice  : “ That’s 
true.”)  Nothing  but  the  power  of  God.  God  Almighty 
does  not  ask  any  more  odds  in  St.  Louis  if  you  take  hold 
right  than  he  does  in  the  smallest  town  in  the  State.  He  is 
an  omnipotent  God,  and  can  do  all  he  undertakes.  Now  we 
are  going  to  sing  “ Hold  the  fort  for  I am  coming.”  I 
want  everybody  to  join  in  that  song,  and  afterward  we  will 
pronounce  the  benediction. 

u Hold  the  fort  ” having  been  sung  with  much  spirit, 
the  services  were  closed  with  the  benediction. 

WHAT  FATHER  PHELAN  SAID. 

The  paragraph  in  a Catholic  paper  to  which  Sam  Jones 
paid  his  respects  in  his  address,  is  from  the  Western  Watch- 
man,, of  November  28th,  and  is  as  follows: 

Sam  Jones,  the  unparsable  revivalist,  tells  us  he  means  to  give  this 
old  town  a shaking  up.  This  old  town  has  been  the  bete  no\r  of  all  the 
evangelists.  They  may  abuse  her  to  their  heart’s  content,  but  she  re- 
fuses to  be  u shaken.”  ' St.  Louis  has  been  the  mausoleum  of  all  the 
evangelical  mountebanks  who  have  ventured  within  her  gates.  Ham- 
mond came  and  died.  Moody  and  San  key  came  and  went,  and  were 


lS2 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


heard  of  no  more.  Harrison  sniffed  at  her  atmosphere,  and  his  youthful 
stomach  is  not  in  working  order  yet.  Yarley  came  and  went  back  to  his 
butcher  stall.  Now  Sam  Jones  braves  her  basilisk  eye.  He,  too,  might 
as  well  prepare  to  go  out  of  the  revival  business.  The  reason  is  Protest- 
antism is  dead  in  this  town:  and  Catholics  have  no  use  for  religious  bur- 
lesque. 


WE  NEED  CONSECRATION. 


183 


WE  NEED  CONSECRATION. 

Second  Corinthians,  seventh  chapter,  second  verse. 

“Receive  us:  we  have  wronged  no  man;  we  have  corrupted  no  man; 
we  have  defrauded  no  man.” 

uVe  have  wronged  no  man  with  our  tongue;  we  have 
corrupted  no  man  by  our  example;  we  have  defrauded  no 
man  in  our  business  transactions.” 

The  cry  of  the  ungodly  world,  when  you  preach  the  pure 
truth,  is,  “ puritanism,  transcendentalism,”  etc.  There  is 
nothing  more  dangerous  to  Christianity  than  to  hear  that 
cry.  My  idea  of  Christ  and  Christianity  determines  what  my 
life  is  as  a Christian.  Some  one  has  said  that  we  should  so 
live  that  every  word  of  our  mouth  and  every  act  of  our 
life  would  become  a maxim  for  universal  rule ; that  is,  we 
ought  never  do  anything  which  the  world  by  adopting  would 
not  be  made  better  and  happier  and  purer.  Christ  Jesus 
is  our  pre-eminent  exampler,  one  which,  if  followed,  will 
make  us  enjoy  a heaven  on  earth.  That  is,  we  would  make 
a new  earth  which  would  be 

A NEW  HEAVEN. 

This  morning’s  lesson  helps  us  out  of  a great  many  of  our 
difficulties  and  problems.  In  the  text  St.  Paul  was  asking 
admission  into  the  kingdom  and  communion  of  saints.  “On 
what  grounds,”  they  said,  do  you  demand  so  great  a priv- 
ilege ? ” Then  came  the  answer : “ Because  we  have  wronged 
no  man ; we  have  corrupted  no  man ; we  have  defrauded  no 
man.” 

If  I were  asked  what  is  the  great  trouble  in  Christendom 
to-day,  I would  say,  America  has  too  many  churches — not 


184 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


too  many  buildings,  understand  you,  or  too  many  organiza- 
tions. But  I will  illustrate:  Bro.  Tudor,  here,  as  pastor  of 
Centenary  Church,  is  pastor,  not  of  one  church  but  of 
two.  It  is  hard  enough  to  be  pastor  of  one  church,  but 
when  it  comes  to  fulfilling  that  relation  to  two  churches  the 
labor  becomes  onerous.  What  I mean  is,  that  while  on  the 
church  roll  there  are  the  names  of  all,  there  is  another  and 
inner  church  where  are  to  be  found  only  those  who  are  true 
spiritual  Christians  and  in  alliance  with  the  kingdom  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Ho  man  is  safe  until  he  is  within  the  walls  of  that 
inside  church.  There  are  members  here  in  Bro.  Tudor’s 
church  who,  while  they  have  made  the  same  vows,  are  as 
different  as  night  and  day.  While  some  are  spiritually 
minded,  there  are  others  who,  while  nice,  genteel  and  pleas- 
ant people,  never  thought  of  longing  for  a better  life.  They 
are  satisfied  as  they  are.  Oh,  let  all  in  your  church  be  of 
one  mind,  one  heart,  of  one  accord.  They  will  all  talk 
alike,  think  alike,  do  alike,  and  pray  alike. 

But  the  question  now  is,  not  how  we  have  lived  hereto- 
fore, but  how  we  may  enter  the  inner  circle.  Can  you 
answer,  as  did  St.  Paul,  “ I have  wronged  no  man  with  my 
tongue?  ” What  a great  thing  it  is  to  be  able  to  say  that. 
The  hardest  thing  to  obtain  is 

A CONSECRATED  TONGUE, 

but  a perfect  Christian  man  bridleth  his  tongue.  There  is 
not  a wild  beast  that  we  can  not  tame.  We  can  tame  the 
lion,  although  we  see  the  venom  of  death  in  his  eye  ; or  the 
serpent,  with  the  poison  of  death  blowing  from  his  mouth  ; 
but  tli ere  is  a little  member  in  our  mouth  that  we  can 
not  tame.  “ Let  the  words  of  my  mouth  and  the  medita- 
tions of  my  heart  be  acceptable  unto  Thee.”  A wicked,  un- 
controllable, godless  tongue  can  never  get  in  the  inner  cir- 


4 


WE  NEED  CONSECRATION.  1 85 

cle  of  Jesus  Christ.  I have  gone  into  a community  and 
looked  on  that  pale  face  and  could  hear  the  blood  drip,  drip 
in  the  heart,  and  I asked  her  what  was  the  cause  of  this? 
Who  did  it?  And  the  answer  was  an  inhuman,  cruel  tongue. 
In  one  short  breath  you  can  speak  a word  that  will  stab  a 
character  forever!  Husband,  how  often  have  you  wronged 
your  wife  with  your  tongue;?  Wife,  how  often  have  you 
stabbed  your  husband  by  a hasty  word  ? Mother,  how  often 
has  your  child  winced  and  shrunk  away  from  you  under 
the  merciless  power  of  your  tongue  ? The  prettiest,  whitest 
tombstone  I ever  saw,  and  the  prettiest  epitaph  I ever  read 
was  when  I visited  an  old  friend  in  Georgia.  He  said  he 
had  lost  the  best  wife  a man  ever  had,  and  he  led  me  out  to 
the  little  white  tombstone.  There  were  only  a few  words 
on  it — the  date  of  her  birth  and  her  death — and  then,  un- 
derneath, this  one  line,  “ She  made  home  pleasant.”  Of  all 
the  places  in  the  world,  home  should  be  the  most  pleasant; 
but  this  can  never  be  without  bridled  tongues.  The  wife, 
as  she  bends  over  that  pale,  waxen  face,  cries  out  in  the 
agony  of  her  heart,  “ Husband,  precious,  forgive  those  un- 
kind words.”  The  husband,  as  he  stands  by  the  coffin  and 
looks  upon  the  last  remains  of  his  wife,  cries  out,  “ Good 
Father,  forgive  every  unkind  word  I uttered.”  My  inno- 
cent little  child  runs  into  my  study,  where  I sit 

WORRIED  AND  WTORN 

with  writing.  It  is  little  five-year-old  Bob,  or  perhaps  four- 
year-old  Laura,  and  he  gathers  my  arm  and  scatters  the  ink. 
Then  I turn  around  and  say,  “ Oh,  you  little  brat ! ” or 
“You  mischievous  little  wretch,  get  out  of  here!”  He 
straightens  up  with  a look  of  surprise,  turns  around  and 
walks  out  of  the  room.  I try  to  go  ahead  with  my  work, 
but  I don’t  write  five  lines.  I say,  “ He  didn't  think.  I 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


I 86 

will  hunt  him  up  and  beg  his  pardon.”  I go  out  on  the 
back  porch  and  there  I hnd  little  Bob  crying  as  if  his  heart 
would  break.  I take  him  up  in  my  arms  and  say,  “ Forgive 
me,  my  little  pet ; I didn't  think.”  And  the  little  one 
sobs  out,  “ Mamma  told  me  not  to  bother  you,  hut  I forgot. 
I ask  you  to  forgive  me.”  Oh  ! if  you  want  to  he  received 
into  the  inner  kingdom  you  must  have  a converted  tongue. 

The  second  condition  is  that  you  have  corrupted  no  man ; 
corruj  ted  him  by  example.  Every  man  is  an  example  for 
every  other  man  ; every  woman  is  a pattern  for  every  other 
woman.  This  question  of  example  is  a momentous  one.  I 
have  frequently  heard  people  say  a child  lias  crossed  the 
line  of  accountability.  There  is  no  line  of  accountability. 
There  are  lines  of  accountability,  but  not  one  line.  A child 
of  ten  years  knows  that  it  is  wrong  to  lie,  but  not  that  it  is 
wrong  to  covet.  You  and  I are  crossing  these  lines  year  by 
year.  There  were  many  things  that  I would  not  have  been 
held  accountable  for  doing  when  I was  converted,  but  that 
I would  be  accountable  for  now.  Year  after  year,  and  day 
after  day,  I expiect  to  improve.  A man  who  never  crosses 
these  lines  is  well  satisfied  with  his  life.  The  man  who 
improves  day  by  day  says,  “ God  forgive  my  ignorance.” 
There  are  thousands  of  peopde  in  this  city  who  never  cross 
these  lines  and  go  rushing  down  to  destruction.  But  the 
trouble  is  the  dams  are  all  washed  out.  Oh,  let  every  man 
that  loves  Jesus  Christ  pile  one  on  top  of  another  until  we 
can  resist  the  powers  of  evil  that  are  sweeping  over  the 
land.  Some  of  us  would  be  honey-combed,  may  be,  so  that 
the  water  would  go  through.  But  what  God  likes  is 

A SOLID,  CONCRETE  CHRISTIAN 

that  will  break  water  wherever  you  throw  him  up.  Here 
in  this  city  Christian  people  ride  about  in  the  parks  on  Sun- 


WE  NEED  CONSECRATION. 


!87 


day  afternoon,  thus  encouraging  the  beer  garden.  I know 
of  a minister  in  a great  city  below  here,  and  on  the  same 
river,  who  got  up  in  the  pulpit  one  day  and  took  the  posi- 
tion that  “ Sabbath  was  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  Sab- 
bath.” lie  countenanced  base-ball,  theaters  and  park  riding 
on  Sunday,  and  the  saloon-keepers  of  the  city  procured  his 
sermon,  published  it  and  spread  it  broadcast  over  the  land. 

Josh  Billings  said  we  had  “ precepts  enough  to  run  four 
such  worlds  as  this  ; what  we  need  is  some  good  examples.” 

Never  allow  your  neighbor  to  do  a thing  that  is  radically 
wrong  because  lie  lias  seen  you  do  a something  that  is 
sorter  wrong. 

Oh,  I hope  that  Centenary  Church  will  set  such  an  exam- 
ple to  the  other  congregations  in  St.  Louis  as  will  put  to 
blush  every  church  in  the  city. 

The  last  condition  is  : Have  you  defrauded  any  man  in 
business  transactions?  Your  tongue  may  be  harmonious, 
your  example  correct,  but  to  both  you  inu^t  add  honest  deal- 
ing. Can  you  say,  a I have  never  pocketed  a dollar  or  in- 
vested a cent  that  would  not  be  approved  by  God  ? I have 
not  defrauded  God,  nor  my  church,  nor  man?”  If  .so, 
when  you  go  up  and  knock  at  the  inner  door  you  will  get 
in.  Oh  God,  baptize  us  in  the  works  of  Thy  salvation. 
Give  us  a blood-washed  throne;  that  will  take  this  city  for 
Christ. 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


188 


CONSC IENCE— RECORD-GOD. 


Now,  brethren,  let  ns  all  be  prayerful.  Let  every  man 
that  believes  God  hears  and  answers  prayer  lift  his  heart 
continually  in  prayer  to  God  while  I try  to  teach  in  the 
name  of  my  Master.  I want  to  read  to  you  three  or  four 
verses  in  different  parts  of  this  book — the  Bible.  Let  us 
give  especial  attention  to  them,  because  they  have  much 
to  do  with  the  discussion  that  follows: 

Rejoice,  0 young  man,  in  thy  youth  ; and  let  thy  heart  cheer  thee  in  the 
days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the  ways  of  thine  heart  and  in  the  sight 
of  thine  eyes  ; but  know  thou  that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring 
thee  into  judgment. — Ecclesiastes  xi.,  9. 

Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter : 

Fear  God  and  keep  his  commandments,  for  this  is  the  whole  duty 
of  man. — Ecclesiastes  xii.,  13. 

And  then  we  read  again : 

So  then  every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  himself  to  God. 

And  then  again  we  read : 

And  the  books  were  opened  and  then  another  book. 

And  now  we  come  to  the  text : 

What  I have  written  I have  written.— John  xix,  22. 

AN  IMPERISHABLE  RECORD. 

There  are  two  “ somethings”  and  one  “ some  one”  that  I 
had  to  do  with  yesterday.  I have  to  do  with  them  to-day. 
I shall  have  to  do  writh  them  forever.  “Conscience”  and 
“record”  are  the  two  somethings  and  God  is  the  some  one. 
Conscience — Record — God.  Conscience  and  record  are 
like  two  index  fingers  pointing  right  up  and  into  the  face  of 
God,  and  God  is  the  great  index  finger  pointing  to  the  final 
judgment.  Conscience — that  something  running  over  my 
life,  proving  the  right,  disproving  the  wrong.  Conscience 
when  outraged,  is  that  something  that  will  not  let  me 


CONSCIENCE — RECORD — GOD. 


189 


sleep,  no  matter  how  soft  my  pillow.  Conscience — that 
something  that  will  not  let  me  eat,  no  matter  how 
richly  laden  the  table  may  be.  Conscience — that  some- 
thing in  me  that  makes  me  drop  my  head  in  guilt  and 
shame  before  the  world.  Conscience — where  is  the  man  in 
this  audience  who  never  felt  the  pangs  and  pains  of  out- 
raged conscience?  The  poet  was  right  when  he  said  : 

What  conscience  dictates  to  be  done, 

Or  warns  me  not  to  do. 

This,  teach  me  more  than  Hell  to  shun, 

That,  more  than  Heaven  pursue. 

And  I am  right  in  saying  upon  this  occasion  that  the 
most  fearful  sin  a man  ever  committed  in  this  life  is  to  sin 
directly  and  to  sin  persistently  against  his  own  conscience. 
Do  you  do  that  thing  which  conscience  says  thou  oughtest 
not  to  do  ? Do  you  not  do  that  thing  which  conscience 
says  thou  oughtest  to  do?  Do  you  persist  in  the  evil  wThen 
conscience  cries,  “Stop!  hold!  murder!  murder!  don’t  do 
it?”  Conscience — ah,  me,  brother!  some  one  has  said  that 
an  outraged  conscience  is  the  worm  that  shall  never  die 
amid  the  fires  that  shall  never  be  quenched. 

Conscience!  Conscience!  Record!  Record!  My  record  is 
as  much  a part  of  me  as  my  immortal  being  is  a part  of  me. 
“Yes,”  but  you  say  “the  surgeon’s  knife  can  soon  separate 
that  hand  from  me.”  No,  sir.  No,  sir!  Some  months  ago 
I sat  by  the  side  of  a man  who  had  an  empty  sleeve  dan- 
gling at  his  side.  All  at  once  he  turned  to  me  and  said: 
“These  fingers  have  been  hurting  me  all  day.”  Said  I: 
“ What  fingers?”  He  replied:  “The  fingers  of  my  right 
hand.”  Said  I:  “My  friend,  there  is  no  right  hand  there.” 
He  returned:  “They  tell  me  this  arm  is  buried  on  the  bat- 
tle fields  of  Virginia,  but,  sir,  that  hand  is  as  truly  there  to- 
day as  it  ever  was,  and  the  pains  and  the  twinges  and  the 


I9O  SAM  JONES5  SERMONS. 

pangs  of  this  hour  are  almost  intolerable  to  me  in  these  fin- 
gers.55 

SUBJECT  AND  RECORD  INSEPARABLE. 

Mv  record  is  a part  of  me.  It  belongs  to  me.  It  is  in- 
separable from  me.  My  record  as  a man  ; your  record  as 
a man.  A man  without  a record  would  be  an  anomaly.  A 
man  without  a record  would  be  a moral  monstrosity  in  the 
universe  of  God.  What  I have  said,  what  I have  done, 
where  I ‘have  been,  are  but  so  many  subjects  discussed  upon 
this  record  of  the  life  of  man.  Record!  Record!  And 
then,  with  conscience  and  record  pointing  up  into  the  face 
of  the  great  God,  and  the  great  God  pointing  to  a judgment 
seat — a judgment  seat! 

I tell  you,  my  friend,  if  there  is  not  to  be  any  final  judg- 
ment, when  man  shall  be  brought  to  a final  bar  to  giv  e an 
account  of  all  the  deeds  done  in  the  body — if  there  is  not  to 
be  any  judgment  hereafter,  there  are  incidents  and  feelings 
and  aspirations  and  fears  and  dreads  about  my  being  that 
can  not  be  explained  in  time  or  eternity.  Every  bad  deed 
of  my  life,  every  wayward  act  of  my  life,  every  wicked 
word  of  my  life,  have  been  so  many  lingers  point ’ng  me 
ever  and  anon  to  the  great  day  that  I shall  give  an  account 
to  God  for  the  way  1 have  lived,  for  what  I have  done,  for 
what  I have  said. 

Judgment  is  a forensic  term,  and  means  simply  the  equi- 
table adjustment  of  an  issue,  but  in  an  ecclesiastical  sense  it 
means  the  final  sermon  in  Heaven’s  chancery,  when  God 
hall  summon  men  and  augeh  alike  around  his  great  white 
ilirone  and  there  sift  the  issue  between  himself  and  ad  cre- 
ated intelligence;  and  when  God  once  says  to  you  “ Ye 
cursed55  there  never  shall  be  an  after  jurisdiction.  The 
record  of  my  guilt,  as  the  glory  of  my  commendation,  will 


I 


CONSC I ENCE — K ECO R D GOD.  I g I 

blaze  forever  in  full  view  of  my  eyes  as  my  vindication  in 
Heaven  or  my  condemnation  in  Hell  is  ordered. 

ESCAPING  JUDGMENT. 

Judgment!  Let  us  strip  this  subject  of  all  its  mystery. 
When  a man  has  violated  the  laws  of  Missouri  there  are  but 
three  ways  by  which  he  can  hope  to  escape.  One  is  by 
force  of  law,  another  by  force  of  testimony,  another  by  par- 
don, where  the  governor  extends  his  clemency  and  pardons 
the  criminal.  Now  I grant  you  that  justice  may  be  defeated 
in  many  ways.  A criminal  may  violate  the  law  of  Mis- 
souri and  fly  from  justice,  and  keep  out  of  the  way  of  sher- 
iffs and  officers.  He  may  bribe  the  grand  jury  so  that  they 
will  not  And  a true  bill  against  him.  He  may  bribe  the 
jury  that  tries  him,  or  the  judge  that  tries  him,  but  when 
a man  is  once  arraigned  before  the  criminal  courts  of  this 
country  there  are  but  the  three  ways  by  which  he  can  hope 
to  escape  justice. 

One  way  is  by.  force  of  law.  Now  when  a crinrnal  is 
brought  into  the  court  house,  and  one  witness  after  another 
is  introduced,  and  they  prove  his  guilt  beyond  reasonable 
doubt,  and  when  the  judge  picks  up  the  Code  of  Missouri 
and  says  : “ This  man  is  guilty,  but  the  law  of  Missouri 

does  not  make  the  offense  a crime,”  the  man  is  acquitted  by 
foice  of  law.  There  is  no  law  that  says  his  conduct  is  crimi- 
nal, therefore  he  is  acquitted. 

But  if  the  thing  charged  in  the  indictment  is  a crime,  then 
he  may  be  acquitted  by  force  of  testimony.  When  the  jury 
after  hearing  the  evidence,  say:  “ There  is  not  sufficient 
evidence  to  convict,  and  we  And  the  prisoner  not  guilty,” 
then  the  prisoner  is  acquitted  by  force  of  testimony. 

But  if  he  is  condemned  by  law  and  he  is  condemned  by 
testinu  ny,  then  there  is  but  one  hope,  and  that  is  the  par- 
don of  the  governor. 


192 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


ESCAPING  DIVINE  JUSTICE. 

Now,  up  yonder  (pointing  heavenward)  before  that  tribu- 
nal there  can  be  but  three  ways  by  which  men  can  hope  to 
escape.  You  can  not  dodge  God’s  ministerial  officers  and 
keep  out  of  their  wTay.  You  will  come  to  the  judgment ! 
to  the  judgment!  to  the  judgment ! When  we  leave  this 
room  this  afternoon  some  will  go  this  way,  some  that  way, 
but  every  road  you  take  converges  right  at  the  judgment 
seat  of  Christ,  and  if  we  never  see  each  other’s  faces  again 
we  shall  meet  at  the  throne  of  God  at  last.  I can  not  dodge 
God’s  ministerial  officers.  As  the  Bible  w'ould  quote  it : 

Oh,  whither  shall  I go  from  thy  presence  ? And  whither  shall  I flee 
from  thy  spirit  ? If  I take  the  wings  of  the  morning  and  fly  to  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth,  the  Lord  God  is  there.  If  I make  my  bed  in  Hell 
the  Lord  God  is  there. 

No,  sir!  God  Almighty  will  burn  this  world  up  and 
bring  us  to  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ.  You  can  not  dodge 
the  ministerial  officers  already  on  your  track.  One  of  God’s 
sheriffs  put  his  hand  on  your  head  one  day,  and  since  that  it 
has  begun  to  frost.  God’s  sheriff  touched  your  eye  one  day, 
and  you  have  been  wearing  spectacles  ever  since.  God’s 
sheriff  touched  your  leg,  and  you  are  now  walking  with  a 
cane  along  the  streets.  Wherever  you  meet  men  the  touch 
of  God’s  sheriff  is  upon  them  ; and  that  means  simply: 

I have  claimed  you  for  my  own  ! 

T will  take  you  by  and  by. 

And  then,  again,  you  can  not  bribe  God’s  grand  jury. 
They  have  already  sat  upon  your  case,  and  the  verdict  reads : 

The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die,  and  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be 
condemned. 


AN  INCORRUPTIBLE  JUDGE. 

I know  in  this  country  sometimes  that  a criminal  some- 
times rushes  up  and  defies  the  court  and  its  authorities ; but 


CONSCIENCE — RECORD  — GOD. 


193 


can  you  defy  tlie  court  of  God  that  sits  upon  the  throne  ? 
Shall  I rush  up  in  the  presence  of  the  great  God,  who  in  the 
beginning  held  a great  flaming  mass  on  the  anvil  of  eternal 
purpose,  and  pounded  it  with  his  own  powerful  arm,  and 
when  every  spark  that  flew  from  it  made  a world — shall  I 
rush  up  into  the  presence  of  such  a God  as  that  and  defy  him  ? 
No,  sir ! Shall  I bribe  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  ? No 
sir ! But  when  I shall  be  individualized  at  that  final 
moment,  and  shall  walk  out  into  the  presence  of  that  great 
God,  I have  but  three  ways  in  which  I can  hope  to  escape. 

One  is  by  force  of  law.  Now,  hear  me ! I shake  that 
little  bundle  of  paper  (the  Bible)  in  your  face,  and  if  that 
little  bundle  of  paper  is  true,  it  outweighs  all  this  universe. 
If  this  book  is  true,  I have  in  my  hand  a bundle  of  paper 
that  does  not  weigh  ten  ounces,  that  outweighs  all  the  stars 
of  the  universe.  If  this  little  book  is  true — and  we  have  to 
die  whether  it  is  true  or  not — you  and  I must  meet  God 
and  give  an  account  of  what  we  have  done  in  the  body. 

The  law  of  God.  I want  to  say  at  this  point  that  God 
will  spring  no  new  law  upon  you  up  yonder.  Men  say  : “I 
do  not  like  to  read  that  Bible,  it  condemns  me.”  If  this 
law  condemns  you  down  here  in  Missouri  to-day,  it  will  con- 
demn you  up  yonder  at  the  judgment  to-morrow.  You  will 
be  the  same  man.  This  will  be  the  same  book. 

VIOLATING  THE  SPIRIT  OF  LAW. 

“But,”  says  that  man,  “I  have  never  violated  many  laws 
in  that  book.”  Well,  listen: 

He  that  breaketh  the  least  commandment  is  guilty  of  all. 

How  do  you  understand  that?  Yonder  is  a boat  chained 
to  the  wharf  on  your  levee.  That  chain  has  a hundred 
links,  but  if  I want  to  cut  that  boat  loose,  how  many  links 
must  I cut?  fifty  of  the  biggest  links?  ten  of  the  middle- 
13 


194 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


sized  ones?  No.  I need  only  cut  the  smallest  link,  and  that 
boat  is  as  effectually  loosened  as  if  I had  cut  them  all. 
And  he  that  breaks  the  least  is  as  guilty  as  if  he  had  broken 
them  all.  Suppose  I want  to  go  to  Kansas  City.  There 
is  one  right  road  to  that  place,  and  a thousand  leading  in 
other  directions.  When  I take  one  of  the  wrong  roads  I 
am  as  effectually  out  of  the  way  as  if  I had  taken  every 
wrong  road  in  the  universe.  And,  brother,  hear  me : God 
looks  not  upon  sin  with  the  least  allowance,  and  can  any 
man  stand  up  before  the  final  bar  and  say,  “ I have  never 
violated  a precept  of  that  book”?  Until  you  can  do  that 
you  can  never  hope  to  escape  by  the  force  of  law. 

The  law  condemns.  The  apostle  tells  us  that 

Ko  flesh  shall  be  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law. 

The  law  is  but  a rule  of  action  that  prescribes  what  is  right 
and  prohibits  what  is  wrong.  And,  brother,  hear  me!  If, 
in  your  past  life,  you  have  ever  violated  a precept  in  this 
book  you  can  not  hope  to  escape  up  yonder  by  force  of  law 
on  the  final  judgment  day.  “I  am  guilty  before  God.  I 
have  violated  precept  after  precept.  I have  not  only  done 
it  repeatedly,  but  I have  done  it  knowingly  and  willfully.  I 
can  not  hope  to  be  acquitted  by  force  of  law.” 

THE  FORCE  OF  TESTIMONY. 

Then  I say  to  you,  how  about  the  force  of  testimony  ? 
Now  we  have  come  directly  to  the  text: 

What  I have  written  I have  written. 

I just  quoted  .before  that : 

So,  then,  every  one  of  us  shall  give  an  account  of  himself  to  God. 

Know  you  that  for  all  these  things  you  shall  be  brought 
unto  judgment  whether  these  things  can  be  good  or  bad. 
Now  we  stand  there  before  His  final  throne. 

What  I have  written  I have  written. 

I declare  to  you  this  evening  that  it  is  my  belief,  and  it  is 


CONSCIENCE RECORD — GOD.  I9S 

founded  on  Scripture,  that  every  man  and  every  boy  of  us 
are  now  writing  testimony  by  which  we  shall  stand  or  fall 
on  the  last  judgment  day.  Greenleaf  on  Evidence  tells  us 
that  the  best  evidence  a case  is  susceptible  of  shall  be  pro- 
duced. He  tells  us  again  that  written  testimony  is  better 
than  oral  testimony.  He  tells  us  again  that  the  evidence 
produced  must  correspond  with  the  allegation  and  be  con- 
fined to  the  point  at  issue.  Now,  brother,  here  is  the  best 
testimony  (the  Bible),  and  every  word  of  it  in  God’s  own 
handwriting.  Written  testimony  is  better  than  oral  testi- 
mony. Lumpkin,  one  of  the  grandest  jurists  that  ever  sat 
on  the  Supreme  Bench  of  Georgia,  said : “ I would  rather 
trust  the  smallest  slip  of  paper  than  the  best  memory  man 
was  ever  gifted  with.”  Here  is  written  testimony:  Start  an 
engine  from  New  York  to  San  Francisco,  and  there  is  at- 
tached to  its  side  a little  piece  of  mechanism  which  indicates 
the  number  of  miles  it  has  traveled,  the  stoppages  it  has  made 
and  how  long  it  has  stopped  at  each  station,  and  if  you  want 
to  know  the  record  of  the  journey  you  need  not  ask  the  engi- 
neer a word.  The  little  piece  of  mechanism  on  the  side  of 
the  engine  tells  you  its  record.  You  go  to  the  city  of  New 
York  and  you  see  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  with  its  700 
rooms.  You  see  that  it  is  lighted  up  day  after  day  and 
night  after  night,  some  rooms  burning  100  jets,  some  ten, 
some  one.  You  step  to  the  proprietor  and  say:  “How  can 
you  keep  an  account  of  this  gas?  How  do  you  know  how 
much  you  burn?”  and  he  says:  “Come  with  me.”  You 
walk  with  him  down  underneath  a double  stairway.  He 
strikes  a match  and  lights  a candle  and  holds  it  to  the 
dial  plate  of  the  gas-meter.  He  says:  “ You  see  that  finger 
trembling  on  the  face  of  the  dial?  That  indicates  to  the 
one  hundreth  part  of  an  inch  how  much  gas  has  passed 
through  this  meter  during  the  past  three  months.  There  is 


196 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


a record  for  you!  ” And  every  man  and  every  boy  this  even- 
ing can  stand  up  and  face  this  fact. 

What  I have  written  I have  written  up  to  this  hour. 

A RECORD  NOT  FOR  WIFE’S  PERUSAL. 

Ah,  me  ! the  record  of  some  men,  the  record  of  some  boys 
who  hear  my  voice  this  moment ! If  your  wife  could  read 
your  record  just  as  you  have  written  it  down  she  would 
spurn  you  from  her  presence  and  drive  you  ever  from  her 
home.  There  are  boys  listening  to  my  voice  whose  mothers 
would  drive  them  from  their  presence  if  they  could  read 
the  last  night’s  record  of  those  boys.  Oh,  the  record ! Boys? 
every  oath,  every  wicked  deed,  every  -midnight  carousal, 
every  debauched  act  of  your  life  is  written  in  legible  indel- 
ible letters,  and  shall  sparkle  forever  on  the  tablets  of  your 
hearts. 

Oh  me!  men  sometimes  say  it  makes  no  difference. 
Brother,  it  makes  no  difference  whether  you  approached 
this  hall  in  this  or  that  spirit,  but  it  makes  an  eternal  differ- 
ence whether  you  did  right  or  wrong  on  your  way  here. 

Record!  Record!  We  sometimes  say : aas  true  as  the 
Bible,”  but  every  record,  every  line  on  the  tablet  of  your 
heart  is  just  as  true  as  the  Bible  is  true.  It  is  a secret  rec- 
ord. God  would  not  suffer  an  angel  of  Heaven  to  touch 
that  record.  God  would  not  suffer  the  worst  enemy  in  the 
world  to  touch  that  record  of  yours.  God  would  not  suffer 
your  precious  mother  to  put  her  finger  on  that  record.  It  is 
a secret  record  of  the  soul  by  which  it  shall  stand  or  fall  at 
the  judgment  seat  of  Christ.  True!  true!  Holy  Spirit, 
shine  on  our  record  this  evening!  Let  us  read  it  now  in 
thirty  seconds — a record  of  accumulated  guilt  that  will  drive 
us  to  some  power  to  save,  some  power  to  relieve. 


CONSCIENCE — RECORD — GOD. 


I97 


COMPANY  RECORDS. 

Record  ! Record  ! Record ! Wliat  is  your  record  as  a 
Presbyterian  ? On  one  side  of  yonr  record  I see  recorded 
vows  of  eternal  constancy  to  God.  On  that  page  I see, 
“ I swear  eternal  allegiance  to  God  and  the  right.  ” 
Brother,  what  is  yonr  record  from  that  day  to  this? 
Brother  Methodists  with  vows  upon  you  that  would  almost 
crush  an  angel,  how  have  you  lived  since  you  knowingly 
and  intentionally  made  these  vows  to  God  ? Ministers  of 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  what  is  your  record  since  the 
day  God  called  you  unto  his  work,  and  you  promised  to  be 
faithful  to  God  and  to  man  ? Oh,  Holy  Spirit  shine  on  these 
records  here  this  evening.  Let  us  see  what  we  must  meet  at 
the  final  bar  of  God.  I want  to  say  to  you  that  I would  fre- 
quently preach  very  differently  but  for  record-making.  I 
w^ant  to  say  to  this  vast  assemblage  of  fathers,  husbands  and 
sons  here  -this  evening,  that  while  I preach  the  gospels  to 
others,  I never  forget  for  a moment  that  I have  a soul  in  my 
own  body  that  will  be  saved  or  lost.  God  pity  us  here  this 
evening,  and  turn  our  eyes  inward,  to  see  these  records  as 
God  would  have  us  see  them.  What  is  your  record,  hus- 
band ? What  is  your  record,  father  ? What  is  your  record, 
son  ? There  are  hundreds  of  men  here  this  evening,  and 
the  only  reason  you  can  hold  up  your  heads,  the  only  rea- 
son you  can  move  among  your  fellows  is  the  consciousness 
that  nobody  on  earth  can  read  your  record.  It  is  hidden 
out  of  the  sight  of  man.  There  are  men  listening  to  me 
now  who,  if  I could  tear  a page  of  the  record  from  their 
heart  and  stick  it  there  on  that  wall  in  legible  letters,  would 
shrink  from  this  congregation,  rush  out  of  this  hall  and  out 
of  this  town  and  never  be  seen  within  its  radius  again.  Oh 
brother,  it  is  hidden  now,  but  God’s  word  for  it,  every 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


I98 

wicked  act,  every  secret  sin  shall  he  proclaimed  from  the 
house  tops.  Oh  fearful  thought ! Record ! It  was  this 
that  made  the  poet  say : 

It  is  not  all  of  life  to  live, 

Nor  all  of  death  to  die. 

A wife’s  trick  ok  her  husband. 

I know  that  you  may  drown  out  this  record  in  a night’s 
spree,  but  it  comes  back  with  all  its  power  to  condemn  in 
the  morning.  I know  that  in  the  giddy  round  of  pleasure 
you  may  drown  its  voice  for  the  hour,  but  ever  and  anon  it 
shakes,  it  shakes  its  horny  hand  in  your  face,  and  says : 
u Look ! Read  the  record  of  yesterday,  of  last  week,  of  last 
year.” 

What  I have  written,  I have  written. 

What  have  you  written  upon  the  record  of  your  life  ? 
What  upon  yours  ? And  upon  yours  ? I stand  here  to  con- 
demn no  man.  I ask  you,  my  brother,  in  all  love  and  kind- 
ness, what  is  the  record  you  have  made  to  this  hour?  Some 
months  ago  a lady  slipped  a pedomiter  into  her  husband’s 
pocket  as  he  went  out  in  the  evening.  He  was  a business 
man  in  the  city,  but  every  night  as  he  left  the  supper-table 
he  said  : “ I have  to  go  down  to  the  store.”  On  one  occasion 
she  put  one  of  these  indicators  in  his  pocket,  and  when  he 
came  back  she  took  it  out  and  consulted  it.  The  faithful 
little  dial  told  her  that  her  husband  had  walked  seventeen 
miles  that  night.  (Laughter.)  And  she  said  to  him : 
“ Husband,  where  have  you  been  to-night  ? ” He  replied  : 
u I have  been  posting  my  books.”  She  said  : “ Hus- 

band, that  won’t  do.  Do  you  post  your  books  as  you 
walk  ? ” “ No,”  he  said,  “ I post  my  books  sitting  at  my 

desk.”  She  pulled  the  little  indicator  out  and  put  it  in  his 
face  and  said,  “ There  is  the  record  of  your  work  ! Seven- 
teen miles  to-night.  (Laughter.)  It  is  half  a mile  to  the 
store,  and  half  a mile  back.  Explain  yourself.”  She  made 


CONSCIENCE — RECORD — GOD. 


199 


him  explain,  and  it  turned  out  that  he  had  walked  sixteen 
miles  round  a billiard-table  playing  pool.  (Loud  laughter.) 
And  I tell  you,  my  congregation,  to-night,  that  within 
your  bosom  there  is  a faithful  record  being  kept  every  day, 
and  when  at  last  God  shall  say,  “Who  art  thou  and  what 
hast  thou  done  ? ” the  record  lias  passed  into  the  recording 
angel’s  hands,  and  he  shall  read  line  after  line  and  page 
after  page  of  guilt  that  is  enough  to  damn  the  universe. 
(Sensation.) 

A VARIANCE  FROM  THE  RECORD. 

Oh,  record!  record!  Every  oath  has  been  recorded. 
Every  wicked  act  has  been  recorded.  Every  unfaithful  act 
has  been  recorded.  Oh,  sir,  up  yonder!  Oh,  my  brother, 
how  about  your  record?  And  I have  found  out  another 
thing : Men  talk  one  way  with  their  tongue  and  write 
another  way  upon  the  record  of  their  heart.  A man  stands 
up  there  and  says,  “ I do  not  believe  in  God.  Then  he 
writes  down  upon  the  tablet  of  his  heart,  “ I have  just  told 
a lie.  I do.  I do.”  (Applause.)  A man  out  there  says, 
“ I don’t  see  any  use  in  revivals.  I am  as  good  as  anybody 
in  the  church.”  Then  he  takes  up  his  pen  and  writes 
within,  “ 1 have  told  one  of  the  biggest  lies  I ever  told. 
There  is  a big  use  in  revivals.  The  world  is  going  to  de- 
struction and  I am  the  meanest  man  in  town.”  He  writes 
one  way  and  talks  another.  Brethren,  I will  know  you  by 
and  by  just  as  you  are. 

Oh,  record  ! record ! There  are  men  who  hear  my  voice 
this  afternoon  who,  if  their  record  were  to  close  with  this 
hour,  have  sinned  enough  to  damn  the  universe,  and  I beg 
you  never  add  another  line  to  that  accumulating  record  of 
guilt,  which  is  enough  to  make  the  devil  when  he  looks  at 
it  hide  his  black  face  under  his  wings  ! God  pity  us  this 


200 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


evening ! May  the  pen  drop  from  our  palsied  hands!  May 
we  never  indite  another  line  that  may  condemn  us  here  or 
at  the  judgment  bar  of  God. 

AN  INEFFACEABLE  RECORD. 

What  I have  written,  I have  written. 

And  I want  to  tell  yon  that  orice  you  put  it  down  it  is 
down  forever.  The  autobiographies  we  write  on  paper  can 
be  altered  and  underlined,  but  the  autobiography  you  have 
written  on  the  tablet  of  your  heart  can  never  be  altered  or 
erased.  It  goes  down  as  it  is.  It  abides* with  you  forever. 

Record  ! record ! record  ! At  the  age  of  twenty-four  I 
was  brought  face  to  face  with  the  fact  that  I had  a record  suf- 
ticent  to  damn  the  universe.  Brother,  let  me  turn  to  Spen- 
cer ; let  me  read  him  through  and  through,  and  having  done 
so,  I say  to  Mr.  Spencer:  “ I have  been  charmed  with  your 
theory,  but  how  about  my  conscience,  my  record,  my  God?” 
Mr.  Spencer  says:  “I  do  not  treat  on  those  subjects.”  I 
say:  “Of  all  the  subjects,  those  I am  most  in  need  of.” 
Then  I turn  to  brother  Darwin,  and  after  reading  his  evolu- 
tion theories,  I say:  “But  how  about  my  conscience,  my 
record,  my  God?”  He  says  : “ I do  not  treat  on  those  sub- 
jects.” I go  to  Mr.  Tyndall  and  all  earthly  philosophers 
and  scientists  just  at  the  time  I need  help  and  enlightenment, 
but  they  turn  their  backs  on  me  and  walk  off.  How,  with 
record  enough  to  damn  the  universe,  I stand  with  no  phi- 
losopher to  help  me,  and  no  scientist  that  can  reach  me. 
Brother,  hear  me ! All  the  tears  of  my  precious  mother 
could  never  have  erased  one  single  line  of  this  record.  All 
the  prayers  of  my  father  would  have  been  wasted  on  this 
record.  All  the  prayers  of  the  church  would  avail  nothing. 
All  the  combined  chemicals  of  earth  could  not  have  erased 
one  single  word  of  it.  Oh,  what  shall  I do  ? 


CONSCIENCE — RECORD — GOD. 


201 


And  now,  brother,  I will  tell  you  why  I have  my  highest 
hope  of  salvation  on  this  blessed  gospel.  When  every 
other  source  had  failed  me,  I took  this  book  in  my  hands 
and  I sought  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  there,  a poor, 
guilty,  wicked  wretch,  I fell  down  under  the  cross.  And 
the  precious  Savior  picked  me  up  and  pardoned  all  my  sins. 
He  blotted  out  this  record  of  mine  and  he  took  my  arms 
and  put  them  around  the  neck  of  God.  And  I love  this 
religion  and  this  Bible,  because  it  proposes  to  do  with  con- 
science and  with  record  and  with  God.  And  there  is  no 
other  system  in  the  moral  universe  that  proposes  to  lead  a 
poor  man  in  these  dreadful  extremities. 

GOING  TO  THE  CROSS. 

Aye,  with  record  enough  to  condemn  all  men,  I went  to 
the  cross : 

I saw  one  hanging  on  the  tree 
In  agonies  of  blood. 

He  fixed  his  languid  eyes  on  me, 

As  near  his  cross  I stood. 

Sure,  never  to  my  latest  breath 
Can  I forget  that  look  ; 

He  seemed  to  charge  me  with  his  death, 

Though  not  a word  he  spoke. 

My  conscience  felt  and  owned  the  guilt 
And  plunged  me  in  despair  f 

I saw  my  sins  His  blood  had  spilt 
And  helped  to  nail  him  there. 

A second  look  He  gave,  which  said  : 

- “ I freely  all  forgive, 

My  blood  is  shed  to  ransom  thee, 

I die  that  thou  may’st  live.” 

And  now  I understand  that  blessed  old  hymn: 

There  is  a fountain  filled  with  blood 
Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins. 


202 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


BROTHER  .TONES5  HOPE. 

Bless  God  for  that  precious  blood  that  saves  a poor,  lost, 
ruined  sinner ! I want  to  say  to  you  to-day  that  my  hope  of 
Heaven  rests  on  this  point.  Fourteen  years  ago,  a poor, 
wrecked,  ruined  sinner,  His  blood  washed  away  my  guilt, 
and  now  my  record  has  been  washed  out  in  the  precious 
blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  Now  take  heed  to  the  judgment. 
Charge  me  with  Sabbath-breaking,  charge  me  with  infidelity, 
charge  me  with  everything,  but  there  is  the  record,  and  the 
precious  blood  has  washed  out  every  page  and  every  line, 
and  I stand  acquitted  on  the  final  judgment  day  by  the  force 
of  testimony  and  the  prerogative  of  pardon.  Blessed  be 
God!  Acquitted  on  the  final  judgment  day.  Brother, 
brother,  the  hope  of  the  world  is  the  cross  of  the  Son  of 
God.  Let  us  rush  up  under  that  cross  this  evening,  the  lost, 
the  wicked  and  the  wayward.  Fourteen  years  ago  I was  the 
worst  of  the  worst,  and  sometimes  I think  that  God  suffered 
me,  in  spite  of  my  mother’s  prayers  and  my  father’s  ex- 
ample, to  go  down  to  the  gates  of  Hell,  that  I might  be  sent 
back  again  to  bring  back  the  men  closest  to  the  gates  of 
Hell.  God  help  you  this  evening  ! I care  not  who  you  are, 
he  will  not  only  pardon  your  sins  but  he  will^  separate  them 
as  far  as  the  East  is  from  the  West.  He  says  : 

I will  blot  them  out  of  the  book  of  my  remembrance. 

Oh,  brethren,  let  us  turn  our  eyes  to  the  hope  of  the 
world.  This  evening  let  us  in  God’s  own  terms  of  capitula- 
tion, run  the  white  flag  out  of  the  citadel  of  our  hearts,  and 
God  will  tell  the  angels  to  get  their  wings  and  fly  down  to 
earth  and  convey  peace  and  hope  to  every  rebellious  heart. 
I want  every  man  that  would  run  up  the  white  flag  and  sur- 
render to  God  and  the  right,  to  try  to  live  for  God  and 
make  his  way  to  Heaven,  to  stand  on  his  feet  for  a mo- 
ment. 


CONSCIENCE — RECORD — GOD. 


203 


All  rose  to  tlieir  feet,  and  Mr.  J ones  thanked  God  for  that 
hopeful  demonstration.  In  conclusion  he  made  a powerful 
appeal  for  a liberal  collection.  The  appeal  had  the  desired 
effect.  The  collection  amounted  to  upwards  of  $300. 


204 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME. 


We  invite  your  attention  to  the  twelfth  verse  of  the  ninth 
chapter  of  the  prophecy  by  Zachariah: 

Turn  you  to  the  stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope;  even  to-day  do  I de- 
clare that  I will  render  double  unto  you. 

The  all-absorbing  theme  with  God  and  angels  and  good 
men  is  the  sal  vation  of  the  living.  Not  the  salvation  of 
men  who  lived  fifty  years  ago,  or  a hundred  years  ago. 
They  have  had  their  opportunities  and  enjoyed  their  privi- 
leges, and  they  have  met  their  destiny.  Not  the  salvation 
of  men  who  shall  live  a hundred  years  hence ; they  have 
yet  to  be  born,  and  yet  to  enjoy  their  privileges  and  oppor- 
tunities. But  the  absorbing  theme  of  God,  and  angels,  and 
good  men,  is  the  salvation  of  men  and  women  who  live  and 
walk  and  talk  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  to-night.  And 
isn’t  it  passing  strange  that  this  great  question  should  so 
engage  the  heart  and  mind  of  God,  and  of  angels,  and  of 
good  men,  and  yet,  perhaps  you,  and  you,  and  you,  should 
be  the  only  creatures  in  all  God’s  vast  universe  that  seem  to 
be  totally  disinterested  in  this  great  question?  And  now, 
we  purpose  to-night,  not  to  draw  upon  our  imagination  or 
try  in  the  least  to  impose  upon  your  credulity,  but  we  stand 
squarely  on  the  book,  and  we  will  talk  about  what  we 
know. 


A COMMON  KNOWLEDGE. 

Somehow  or  other  I love  frequently  to  talk  over  things 
with  the  friends  that  I know,  and  when  we  begin  to  talk 
about  “I  knows”  and  the  “you  knows”  and  the  “he  knows’5 
and  the  “she  knows,”  then  we  begin  to  get  very  close  to 
one  another.  There  are  some  things  that  we  all  know  in 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME. 


205 


common.  I know  that  I am  twenty-four  hours  nearer  the 
cemetery  than  when  I assembled  with  you  in  this  house  last 
night.  You  know  you  have  one  day  less  to  live  than  you 
had  this  morning  when  the  sun  arose  upon  this  world.  You 
know  that  these  moments  bear  our  life  away,  and  are  carry- 
ing us  into  the  great  beyond.  You  know  that  in  your 
youthful  days  your  heart  was  softer,  your  conscience  was 
more  tender,  and  your  will  was  more  easily  affected  by 
truth,  and  by  grace,  than  it  is  to-night.  You  know  that 
you  are  not  such  a husband  as  you  ought  to  be.  You  know 
you  do  not  set  such  an  example  to  your  children  as  you 
ought  to.  You  know  your  life  and  character  to-night  are 
not  what  they  ought  to  be  before  God  and  man.  I say  that 
when  we  begin  to  talk  about  these  things  that  we  know,  we 
are  getting  very  close  together,  and  there  are  some  things 
that  we  know  from  the  teachings  of  that  book.  And  now 
we  come  squarely  to  the  text : 

Turn  ye  to  the  stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope. 

We  stop  at  this  point  to  say  that  there  are  three  classes 
of  prisoners  with  hope,  and  there  are  three  classes  of  pris- 
oners without  hope.  Now  let  us  find  our  latitude  and  longi- 
tude in  spiritual  things.  Let  us  find  where  we  are  on  this 
occasion.  It  is  the  privilege  of  every  man  to  know  his 
bearings  to-night,  to  know  just  where  he  is  and  to  know 
whither  he  is  tending. 

FALLEN  ANGELS  WITHOUT  HOPE. 

* 

The  first  class  of  prisoners  without  hope  that  the  book 
speaks  of  are  the  angels  who  kept  not  their  first  estate,  but 
sinned  against  God  and  were  driven  away  and  put  in  chains 
of  everlasting  darkness,  to  await  the  final  judgment  day. 
While  you  and  I have  had  a chance  of  life,  and  while  peace 
and  pardon  is  for  the  fallen  man,  those  angels  who  kept  not 


206 


SAM  JONES*  SERMONS. 


tlieir  first  estate  are  in  that  lone  land  of  deep  despair,  with- 
out a ray  of  heavenly  light  or  a spark  of  hope,  forever  and 
forever.  As  I look  upon  an  immortal  spirit  whose  chains 
coniine  it  to  hopeless  and  everlasting  despair,  my  heart  shud- 
ders as  I look  upon  the  picture.  But  I never  saw  an  angel. 
I have  never  been  brought  into  sympathy  with  angels  by 
association.  I know  very  little  of  them.  Angels  have 
not  flesh  and  blood.  They  are  not  subjected  to  wrinkles 
and  gray  hairs  and  old  age  and  death,  like  you  and  I,  and 
perhaps  they  are  separated  from  our  sympathy. 

But  this  book  speaks  of  another  class  of  prisoners  with- 
out hope.  That  is  that  man  and  that  woman  who  have 
walked  the  streets  of  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  enjoyed  just 
such  privileges  as  you  and  I enjoy,  and  then  die  without 
God  and  without  hope  in  the  world.  There  may  be  some 
gospel  truth  in  that  old  couplet : 

While  the  lamp  holds  out  to  burn, 

The  vilest  sinner  may  return. 

but  when  fate  snuffs  the  candle  and  it  goes  out  in  death,  then 
all  hope  is  gone  forever.  I ask  you,  mother,  did  you  ever 
pray  for  your  boy  since  he  breathed  his  last  breath?  Wife, 
have  you  ever  offered  prayer  for  your  husband  since  he  bade 
you  good-by  in  death?  Sister,  have  you  wrestled  with 
God  at  the  mercy  seat  for  the  salvation  of  your  brother 
since  he  passed  out  of  the  world?  No,  sir,  the  common 
convictions  of  humanity  are  all  together  on  this  proposition, 
that  as  the  tree  falleth,  so  it  shall  be  forever,  and  that,  in- 
stead of  there  being  anything  in  death  to  reverse  and  to 
sanctify  and  to  save,  that  death  is  the  opening  of  the  door 
and  the  passing  out  of  the  soul  into  eternity 

WHERE  PREACHING  IS  IN  VAIN. 

I have  preached  the  gospel  in  more  than  twenty  States, 
perhaps,  of  this  Union.  I may  preach  the  gospel  in  every 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME. 


207 


State  of  this  grand  old  Union.  If  God  were  to  call  me  to 
China  I would  go  to  China  and  preach  the  gospel  as  will- 
ingly and  as  cheerfully  as  I bade  wife  and  children  good-by  to 
come  to  your  city.  But  there’s  one  place  I never  have 
preached  the  gospel,  and  there’s  one  place  I never  shall  preach 
the  gospel  of  J esus  Christ,  and  that  is  out  here  in  the  ceme- 
tery. I shall  never  stand  among  the  tombstones  of  earth  and 
beg  the  bones  of  the  cemetery  to  come  to  Christ.  No,  sir ! 
Never!  What  you  and  I do  with  this  question  we  must  do 
between  this  and  the  gate  of  the  cemetery.  What  you  and 
I do  upon  this  question,  we  must  do  before  the  doctor  lays 
his  hand  upon  our  pulse  for  the  last  time,  and  bids  our  weep- 
ing wife  or  loved  ones  to  prepare  for  the  worst — that  death 
shall  come  in  an  hour.  What  you  and  I do  upon  this  ques- 
tion must  be  done  before  that  clock  on  the  mantel-piece 
seems  to  click  louder  than  ever  before.  What  you  and  I do 
must  be  done  before  wife  or  loved  ones  shall  bathe  their 
handkerchiefs  in  their  tears  and  weep  over  us  as  we  pass  out 
of  time  into  eternity.  If  that  book  teaches  anything  clearly, 
it  teaches  there  is  no  knowledge  or  device  or  repentance  in 
the  grave,  whither  we  are  all  tending,  and  I tell  you,  my 
brother,  that  whatever  we  may  be  in  this  life,  or  what 
preparations  we  may  make  and  what  character  we  form  in 
this  life,  shall  settle  destiny  for  us  when  life  shall  bid  us 
walk  out  of  the  body  and  go  into  the  great  beyond.  And 
this  man  and  this  woman,  who  have  lived  and  died  in  our 
midst,  enjoyed  the  same  privileges,  enjoyed  the  same  oppor- 
tunities that  you  and  I enjoy,  and  yet,  in  spite  of  all  over- 
tures of  grace  and  the  wagon-loads  of  sermons  that  have 
been  wasted  upon  them,  in  spite  of  all,  have  come  to  death’s 
hour  without  preparation,  and  passed  into  eternity  to  be 
judged  by  the  God  of  all  the  earth ! Oh, 


208 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Death  rides  on  every  passing  breeze, 

And  lurks  in  every  flower ; 

Each  season  hath  its  own  disease, 

Its  peril  every  hour. 

NO  TIME  TO  SELL. 

And  perhaps  1,000  of  this  congregation  at  this  moment, 
if  you  were  to  die  in  your  pew  before  I am  through  preach 
ing,  would  be  prisoners  without  hope,  forever.  Tour  heart- 
in  your  bosom  is  a muffled  drum  beating  your  funeral  march 
to  the  tomb.  And  every  step  you  and  I take  from  this  hour 
to  our  dying  couch,  shall  be  toward  the  cemetery,  and  yet 
we  rush  right  upon  the  gates  of  the  cemetery  unprepared 
for  death  and  unprepared  for  eternity. 

I see  men  whiling  away  and  throwing  away  hours  of  their 
life.  Many  and  many  in  this  city  will  be  like  the  million- 
aire of  London  who  gave  liis/life  to  making  money,  and 
when  stricken  sudden ]y  with  meningitis,  his  doctor  hurried 
to  him  and  said  to  him,  “ You  have  meningitis  and  you’ll 
be  dead  in  two  hours.”  And  the  wealthy,  worldly  man 
looked  him  in  the  face  and  said:  66 Doctor,  if  you’ll  keep 
me  alive  till  to-morrow  morning  at  8 o’clock,  I’ll  give  you 
£100,000.  I’ll  give  it  to  you  cheerfully.”  The  doctor  looked 
at  him  and  said:  “ I have  prescriptions  to  give  and  I 
have  remedies  for  disease,  but,  my  friend,  I have  no  time  to 
sell.  Time  belongs  to  God.”  Oh,  poor,  wayward,  worldly 
man,  that  whiled  away  all  the  precious  hours  of  life,  and 
now,  forsooth,  when  death  meets  him,  tells  his  physician, 
“I  will  give  you  half  a million  dollars  if  you  will  keep  me 
alive  for  sixteen  hours.”  Oh,  poor  humanity,  throwing 
away  hours  and  privileges  that  are  worth  all  the  world ! . 

PERSONAL  CONGRATULATIONS. 

A prisoner  without  hope. 

Oh,  sir,  if  there  is  a fact  in  my  history  for  which  I am 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME.  20g 

shouting  thankful  and  hope  to  praise  God  for  in  Heaven  for- 
ever, it  is  the  fact  that  God  did  not  let  me  die  in  my  sins. 
It  is  the  fact  that  in  and  through  the  abounding  mercy  and 
grace  of  God,  I was  brought  to  see  myself  and  repent  of  my 
sins  and  make  peace  with  God  before  I went  hence  and  was 
no  more  among  men. 

A prisoner  without-  hope. 

Oh,  me  ! Have  you  ever  shaken  hands  with  a man  who 
this  moment  is  a prisoner  without  hope  forever?  I stood 
under  the  tent  at  St.  Joseph,  and  said  on  one  occasion,  u I 
am  preaching  now  the  funeral  sermon  of  some  soul  in  this 
congregation.  I feel  it  in  my  blood  and  bones  that  some 
man  is  rejecting  his  last  chance  to  make  peace  with  God.” 
And  in  less  than  ten  days  from  that  hour  a young  man  who 
sat  in  that  congregation  and  heard  the  words  of  my  lips, 
staggered  and  fell,  in  a drunken  spree,  and  dropped  dead  on 
the  streets  of  St.  Joe  ! ( Sensation.)  Oh  God  ! help  that 

man  who  is  to  pass  out  of  time  first ! God  help  him  to  be 
prepared  ! And  just  as  certain  as  we  are  gathered  in  this 
hall  to-night,  God  has  thrown  this  revival  meeting  in  your 
pathway  and  has  thrown  all  this  between  you  and  that  estate 
where  you  will  be  a prisoner  without  hope  forever. 

A SAD  STORY. 

I have  often  thought  of  the  experience  and  incident  of  a 
young  man,  vigorous  and  healthy  and  strong,  raised  by 
pious  parents,  and  on  his  dying  couch  he  sent  for  his  pastor. 
The  pastor  was  a personal  friend  of  his,  and  when  he 
walked  into  the  room  and  saw  his  sunken  condition,  the 
poor  boy  looked  up  in  the  preacher’s  face  and  said : “ I 

have  sent  for  you,  but  not  to  pray  for  me.  I have  given 
all  my  life  to  sin  and  worldliness,  and  I have  not  courage 
now  to  turn  over  the  poor  dying  man  to  God,”  and,  said 
14 


210 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


he,  “ I have  not  sent  for  yon  to  pray,  but  I have  sent  for 
yon  that  I might  give  you  a message  to  my  friends  at  my 
funeral  service,  and,”  said  he,  “I  want  yon  to  tell  my 
friends  at  my  funeral  that  I am  dying  a lost  man,  and  lost 
forever.  But  tell  them  that  if  any  man  had  slapped  me  on 
the  shoulder  ten  years  ago  and  said  : ‘ Tom,  ten  years  from 
to-day  yon  will  be  dying  without  religion,5  I would  have 
told  him:  ‘No,  sir.  I had  a good  mother.  I have  a 
respect  for  religion,  and  I intend  to  give  my  heart  to  God.’ 
“And,55  said  he,  “ if  any  man  had  slapped  me  on  the  shoulder 
twelve  months  ago  and  said  : ‘ Tom,  twelve  months  from 

to-day  you  will  be  dying  without  religion,5  I would  have 
looked  the  man  in  the  face  and  said  : ‘Yon  don’t  know  me  ; 
I will  never  die  without  religion ; my  purposes  are  fixed  to 
seek  and  obtain  religion  before  I die.5  55  Said  he  : “ If  a 

man  had  ten  days  ago  said  to  me  : ‘ Tom,  ten  days  from 

now  you  will  be  dying  without  religion,5  I would  have  said : 
‘No,  sir ; you  don’t  know  me;5  “ and,”  said  he — and  I want  you 
to  listen  to  this,  the  saddest  thing  a dying  man  ever  said — - 
“ at  last,  at  last,  after  all  my  mother’s  prayers  and  all  my 
good  resolutions  and  all  the  means  that  have  been  brought 
to  bear  upon  me,  at  last,  at  last,  I am  dying  without  religion.” 
And  that  is  the  saddest  thing  mortal  man  ever  said  upon  his 
dying  couch.  And  if  you  die  to-night,  the  world  would  sit 
around  your  corpse  to-morrow  and  say  : “At  last!  at  last! 
After  all  his  resolutions  and  all  his  purposes,  he  died  with- 
out religion.” 

THE  WILLFULLY  WICKED. 

But  there  is  another  class  of  prisoners  without  hope* 
Thank  God  we  are  not  among  fallen  angels  ! thank  God,  we 
are  not  among  the  dead ! There  is  another  class  of  prisoners 
without  hope,  and  that  is  the  men  and  women  of  this  city 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME. 


21  I 


that  are  just  as  certain  to  be  damned  as  they  walk  the  streets 
of  this  city  to-day.  There  are  men  in  this  city  who  have 
not  heard  a sermon  for  twenty  years  ; there  are  men  in  this 
city  who  have  settled  it.  “I  never  intend  to  hear  another;” 
there  are  men  in  this  city  who  have  fenced,  effectually  fenced, 
their  souls  off  from  good,  and  thrown  around  them  bulwarks 
and  doors  that  the  grace  and  spirit  of  God  can  never  pene- 
trate in  this  world.  And  when  I walk  out  on  the  streets  of 
our  town  and  find  a man  as  he  walks  the  street,  that  has 
settled  it — “I  never  intend  to  repent,”  I would  as  soon 
shake  hands  with  a dead  man  as  to  shake  hands  with  him. 
He  is  dead  to  all  that  could  lift  his  soul  to  God ; dead  to  all 
that  could  make  him  good  and  happy;  dead  to  all  that  could 
save  him  in  time,  and  dead  to  all  that  could  save  him  in 
eternity. 

I beg  you,  my  friend,  to-night,  to  stop  a moment  and  con- 
sider. Have  you  crossed  the  line?  Have  you  crossed  the 
line  from  beyond  which  no  soul  ever  returned  ? 

^here  is  a time,  I know  not  when, 

A place  I know  not  where, 

The  spirit  will  poise  his  golden  wings 
And  leave  me  in  despair. 

THE  DIVINE  DEAD  LINE. 

There  is  a line  by  which  all  our  paths  are  crossed,  beyond 
which  God  himself  has  sworn  that  he  who  goes  is  lost. 

Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day 
of  redemption. 

And  in  my  short  life  as  a preacher,  I want  to  tell  you  to- 
night I have  seen  men  reject  and  reject  and  reject  and  reject 
the  mercies  of  God  until  I have  almost  heard  the  gates  of 
mercy  close  in  their  face  forever. 

A prisoner  without  hope. 

Just  as  certain  as  he  breathes  he  is  a doomed  man.  He 


212 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


never  will  repent.  The  chances  are  all  against  ns.  The 
chances  are  all  against  ns,  now  may  be.  Brother,  will  yonr 
heart  ever  be  as  tender  as  it  has  been  in  the  past  ? Will 
yon  ever  be  worked  np  under  gospel  truth  as  yon  have  been 
in  the  past  ? And  if  after  all  yonr  tender  years  are  gone 
and  all  the  influences  of  yonr  youthful  days  fail  to  reach 
you,  are  not  the  probabilities  to-night  that  yon  never  will 
repent,  that  yon  will  die  like  you  are,  “a  prisoner  without 
hope  ” ? Ah,  me  !-the  poet  said  : 

The  wretch,  condemned  with  life  to  part. 

Still,  still  on  hope  relies, 

And  every  pang1  that  rends  the  heart 
Bids  expectation  rise. 

But,  oh,  sir  ! when  hope  dies  out  and  endless  despair  takes 
possession  of  the  soul — oh — sir,  then  I ask  you,  what  is  there 
but  the  cry  : u Oh,  miserable  me  ! which  way  shall  I fly  ? 55 
Infinite  wrath ! infinite  despair  ! 

Which  way  I fly  is  hell; 

Myself  am  hell ! 

Oh,  sir,  the  soul  that  is  impenitent  gravitates  to  its  home, 
and  its  home  can  be  nowhere  else  except  in  the  perdition  of 
the  damned. 

A prisoner  without  hope. 

I wonder  if  there  is  a man  here  listening  to  me  to-night 
that  you  could  not  move  him  with  the  gospel  and  the  thun- 
ders of  all  the  worlds ; if  there  are  men  here  to-night  who 
are  not  just  as  disinterested  in  what  I say  as  if  they  had  no  j 
soul  to  save,  and  there  was  no  immortal  interest  at  stake. 
My  brother,  let  others  do  just  as  they  please,  and  let  others 
throw  away  their  time  and  their  souls,  but  let’s  you  and  I 
make  our  peace  with  God  and  our  calling  and  election  sure, 
so  that  when  we  fail  on  earth  we  may  secure  a mansion  in 
the  skies. 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME. 


213 


THE  PRISONERS  WITH  HOPE. 

But,  I thank  God,  there  is  a different  side  to  this  ques- 
tion, and  let  us  consider  it  but  a moment.  There  are 
three  classes  of  prisoners  with  hope.  The  first  class  we 
mentioned  are  the  faithful  men  and  women  of  the  Church  of 
God,  striving,  struggling,  day  after  day,  to  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  and  love  and  serve  Him  with  all  their 
hearts.  Oh,  thank  God,  there  are  many  of  this  class  in  the 
city  of  St.  Louis.  They  are  prisoners,  but,  thank  God,  pris- 
oners of  hope — prisoners  of  hope.  Every  good  man  that 
walks  the  face  of  the  earth  is  a prisoner  of  hope,  and 

Oh,  what  a blessed  day  is  ours, 

While  here  on  earth  we  stay; 

We  more  than  taste  the  heavenly  joys, 

And  antedate  that  day. 

My  mother  was  once  a prisoner  of  hope,  but  when  death 
cut  the  ligaments  that  bound  her  to  earth,  she  went  home 
to  God,  and  for  thirty  years  she  has  been  walking  the 
golden  streets,  one  of  God’s  freemen,  forever.  My  precious 
father  was  a prisoner,  but,  thank  God,  a prisoner  of  hope ! 
and  when  at  last  he,  upon  his  dying  couch,  pushed  the  doc- 
tors back  from  his  bed,  he  overleaped  the  circle  of  loved 
ones  about  his  dying  couch,  and  above  star  and  moon  he 
went  until  he  overvaulted  the  very  throne  of  God  itself, 
and  to-night  he  wralks  the  golden  streets,  a child  of  God 
and  a freeman  forever  Thank  God  these  chains  will  not 
last  always.  Thank  God  these  temptations  are  not  forever. 
Thank  God  these  environments  will  not  last  further  than 
the  grave  ! Bless  the  Lord,  O,  my  soul ! There  is  a world 
Where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling, 

And  the  weary  are  at  rest. 

We,  I say,  are  bent  upon  that  gracious  home  up  beyond 
the  skies. 


214 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


HEAVENLY  CONSOLATION. 

I never  see  a wife  grow  pale  and  suffer  that  I don’t  bless 
my  God  there  is  a country  where  no  wife  shall  ever  pale, 
and  where  no  sickness  shall  ever  come.  I never  see  my 
precious  children  suffer  and  swing  like  the  pendulum  of  the 
clock  between  life  and  death  that  I don’t  thank  God  there 
is  a country  where  health  blossoms  forever  upon  the  cheek 
and  the  light  of  life  shall  ever  sparkle  from  the  eyes  of  our 
children.  Oh,  thank  God,  there  is  a world  of  freedom ! 
And  these  faithful  Christians  are  on  their  way  to  the  world 
where  freedom  shall  be  enjoyed  in  its  most  blessed  and  its 
most  glorious  sense.  Brother,  you  are  a prisoner  of  hope, 
and  as  long  as  that  star  of  hope  shines  over  my  pathway 
here  is  one  man  that  is  ready  to  deny  himself  and  take  up 
his  cross  and  follow  Christ.  As  long  as  that  star  of  hope 
shines  over  my  pathway  I am  ready  unto  every  good  word 
and  work.  As  long  as  that  star  shines,  over  my  pathway, 
like  St.  Paul  I will  throw  aside  everything  and  count  it 
nothing,  and  neither  will  I count  my  life  dear  unto  my- 
self, but  that  I may  run  with  patience  the  race  to  that  city 
of  God  where  sickness  and  sorrow  and  pain  and  death  are 
felt  and  feared  no  more. 

Oh,  brother,  if  you  mean  that  a man  shall  do  his  duty, 
shall  preach  the  gojspel,  all  right,  I will  preach.  If  it  is  to 
pray,  I will  pray ; if  it  is  to  lead  the  devotions  of  my  home, 
I will  do  that ; if  it  is  to  divide  my  last  cent  with  God  and 
the  poor,  I will  do  that ; if  it  is  anything,  if  it  is  every- 
thing, I will  give  up  all  things  that  I may  have  all  things 
in  the  sweet  by  and  by. 

A prisoner  of  hope. 

Blessed  be  God ! There  is  an  assurance  in  every  man’s 
heart  that  inspires  him  by  day  and  by  night. 

A prisoner  of  hope. 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME. 


215 


St.  Paul  said : 

That  blessed  hope ! That  blessed  hope ! 

A HOPEFUL  CLASS. 

Well,  thank  God,  there  is  another  class  of  prisoners  with 
hope.  That  man  out  there  that  does  not  belong  to  any 
church,  but  he  stood  up  here  yesterday  afternoon  and  said, 
“I  run  the  white  flag  up ; I surrender  to  God ; I want  to  be 
a Christian.”  Brother,  hear  me  to-night : God  loves  the 
meanest  man  in  St.  Louis,  just  like  God  loves  the  best  man 
in  St.  Louis.  Brother,  yonder  is  a father  that  loves  a son 
with  all  his  heart,  and  that  son  is  headed  to  a drunkard’s 
grave.  Does  that  father’s  love  save  that  boy  from  the 
drunkard’s  grave?  There  is  a mother  with -all  her  affec- 
tions wrapped  around  her  boy,  and  yet  he  drinks,  and 
drinks,  and  drinks,  until  at  last  he  leaps  out  from  the  pres- 
ence of  his  mother  into  a drunkard’s  eternity,  and  that 
mother  will  go  to  his  grave  twice  a week  and  carry  flowers 
and  plant  them  on  the  mound  above  him,  an4  bathe  the 
dust  that  covers  his  body  in  her  precious  tears ; but  did 
that  mother’s  love  save  that  boy  from  the  drunkard’s  grave  ? 
Neither  can  God’s  love  save  his  son — you  and  I — unless  we 
bring  ourselves  in  the  compass  of  grace  and  let  Him  save 
us. 

THE  MILITARY  CALLED  OUT. 

At  this  point  Mr.  Small  advanced  to  the  front  of  the 
stage  and  handed  Brother  Jones  a paper,  which  the  latter 
read,  as  follows: 

A number  of  the  members  of  my  command  are  in  your  audience  to- 
night. You  will  please  kindly  announce  to  them  that  they  are  wanted 
at  the  armory  at  once  for  active  service. 

(Signed)  E.  D.  Meier. 

Mr.  Jones. — If  you  are  here  just  retire  quietly  and  we’ll 
proceed  with  the  services. 


2l6 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


After  the  commotion  caused  by  the  militia-men  present 
getting  up  and  leaving  the  hall  had  somewhat  subsided, 
Brother  J ones  said : 

Now,  let  us  give  special  attention,  for  I will  tell  you, 
when  your  doctor  says  to  you  that  you  are  wanted  in  eter- 
nity, that  will  be  a greater,  grander  announcement  than  this. 
Let  us  be  perfectly  quiet,  for  I assure  you  we  have  no  in- 
terest, perhaps,  in  that  announcement. 

Some  one  suggested  that  the  call  was  for  the  purpose  of  par- 
ticipating in  the  obsequies  of  the  late  Vice  President  Hen- 
dricks, when  Brother  Jones  proceeded,  and  said: 

That  is  for  Hendricks,  the  Yice  President.  I suppose 
that  is  what  the  announcement  is  for — to  gather  the  artillery 
for,  perhaps,  to  go  to  Indianapolis  to-night.  I hope  we’ll 
all  be  quiet.  My!  My!  If  that  sort  of  an  announcement 
stirs  you  that  way,  I wmnder  how  you’ll  feel  when  death 
shall  strike  you  and  you  have  got  to  go  into  eternity ! 

A NOBLE  SURRENDER. 

A prisoner  of  hope. 

That  man  who  has  in  his  heart  the  burning  desire  to  be  a 
Christian  is  a prisoner  of  hope,  and  I tell  you,  my  brother, 
the  man  who  says  to-night : “I  surrender  to  God ; I give  my 
life  to  him ; I seek  the  cross  ; ” that  man  is  a prisoner  of  hope ; 
and  you  will  never  be  damned  if  you  will  follow  the  inspira- 
tion and  the  desire.  “ God  help  me  to  be  a Christian.” 

Oh,  brother,  there  are  many  men  in  this  house  to-night 
who  have  the  burning  desire  in  their  heart  to  be  a good  man 
— and  some  to  be  a good  woman.  Well  let  me  tell  you  that 
every  one  of  you  with  such  a desire  in  your  heart,  every  one 
of  you,  if  you  foster  that  desire  and  follow  the  purpose  out, 
God  will  meet  you  with  peace  and  pardon,  and  you  by  and 
by  shall  be  a freeman  forever. 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME.  2\ / 

Friend,  let’s  yon  and  I look  after  our  hearts  to-night. 
Is  there  down  in  our  souls  an  intense,  burning  desire  to  be 
a Christian?  If  there  is,  let  us  surrender  to  that  desire  to- 
night and  say:  “I  will  make  my  peace  with  God.” 

And  then,  there  is  another  class  of  prisoners  with  hope, 
and  that  is,  those  men  and  women  wrho  have  not  made  up 
their  minds  at  all,  but  they  are  thinking  on  this  question. 
Oh,  brother,  there  is  a chance  there  that  you  may  be  saved, 
and  I wish  every  poor  man  here  to-night  with  the  desire  in 
his  heart  to  be  a Christian,  I wish  you  would,  like  Garfield 
— President  Garfield — when  they  probed  his  wounds  he 
looked  at  the  doctors  and  he  said:  “Doctors,  is  there  any 
chance  for  my  life?”  The  doctors  answered  back:  “Yes, 
there  is  a chance,”  and  Mr.  Garfield  said  : “Well,  I will  take 
that  chance;”  and  he  did,  and  wrestled  and  grappled  with 
death  for  three  long  months  as  no  hero  in  America,  perhaps, 
ever  did ; and  if  that  man  and  that  woman  will  take  the 
chance — a chance  that  you  have  to-night — and  grapple 
with  it  with  all  your  ransomed  powers  as  grandly  and 
nobly  as  Garfield  did  with  life,  then  I say  to  you  it  will  issue 
into  a bright,  happy,  joyous  experience  here,  and  Heaven  in 
the  end.  Listen! 

A DIVINE  PROMISE  OF  REWARD. 

Turn  you  to  the  stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope.  Even  to-day  I de- 
clare I will  render  double  unto  thee. 

How  a word  on  this  part.  Hear  me! 

I will  render  double  unto  thee. 

A great  many  people  think,  “Well,  after  all,  I am  not 
ready  yet  to  seek  religion.  If  I were  to  seek  religion  now, 
I would  have  to  give  up  everything,  and  just  live  a poor, 
sad,  groping  pauper  the  balance  of  my  life.”  Well,  you 
never  made  a bigger  mistake  in  your  life.  Listen: 

Even  to-day  do  I declare  I will  render  double  unto  thee. 


218 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


“ Double.”  I never  read  that  passage  that  I do  not  think 
of  the  incident  a church  brother  told  me  once.  He  said  there 
was  a young  man  in  a revival  meeting  he  was  carrying  on 
who  was  seeking  religion  earnestly  for  two  or  three  days. 
One  day  he  walked  out  of  the  church  after  the  young  man 
and  said  to  him,  “You  are  in  earnest;  you  are  in  earnest. 
I can  not  see  why  you  are  not  blessed  and  saved.”  “Oh,”’ 
said  the  young  man,  “I  think  I know  the  trouble.  Every 
time  I go  to  the  altar  and  seek  God  on  my  knees,  this  fact 
comes  up  before  my  eyes.  I clerk  in  a grocery  store  that 
retails  liquor  by  the  quart  and  pint,  but  not  by  the  drink, 
and  every  time  I kneel  down  and  pray,  the  fact  that  I am 
clerking  and  selling  liquor  by  the  quart  and  pint  comes  up 
before  me  and  stops  my  prayers.’b 

“ Well,”  said  the  preacher,  “ I would  give  up  my  clerk- 
ship.” “If  I do,”  replied  the  young  man,  “It  looks  as  if 
my  mother  and  sisters  will  starve.  My  mother  is  a widow,, 
and  my  sisters  are  orphans  ; and  every  bite  they  eat  comes 
from  what  I earn.  I would  surrender  it  in  a moment  if 
it  was  not  for  that.”  “Well,”  said  the  preacher,  trust 
God  and  do  the  thing  you  ought  to  do,  my  brother.”  He 
told  me  the  young  man  went  on  down  to  the  store  and 
told  his  employer  : “ Sir,  I have  been  seeking  religion  ear- 
nestly, and  I can  not  be  pardoned ; I can  not  pray  as  long 
as  I clerk  for  you  and  sell  whisky  in  this  house.” 

Do  you  hear  this?  A man  can  not  get  religion  and  sell 
whisky  at  the  same  time.  That  is  as  true  as  God  made 
this  world.  And  then  I will  tell  you  another  thing.  A 
man  can  not  keep  it  (religion)  and  sell  it  (whisky.)  A 
man  can  not  keep  it  and  drink  it : Listen  to  me  a minute. 

FOR  CATHOLICS. 

I saw  in  a paper  the  other  day,  I saw  in  a paper  in  this 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME. 


219 


city  die  other  day,  a boast  that  this  was  a Catholic  city  and 
not  a Protestant  city.  I deny  it.  With  all  my  heart,  I 
deny  it.  A Catholic  city ! Y on  may  know,  and  I know  a 
man  is  a Catholic  by  his  cross.  What  is  the  cross  an  em- 
blem of  ? Purity,  holiness,  righteousness.  And  you  tell 
me  that  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  foundation  stone  of 
all  the  devilment  and  whisky  drinking  and  corruption  of 
this  city.  It  is  a lie  as  black  as  hell,  I do  not  care  who  said 
't.  ( Applause.)  The  grand  old  Catholic  Church  will  never 

father  the  corruption  and  guilt  there  is  in  this  city.  ( Re- 
newed applause.)  When  I see  the  sisters  of  charity  going 
forth  on  their  errands  of  mercy  and  goodness,  and  when 
I look  to  the  noble  priests  and  the  popes  and  bishops  of  the 
Catholic  Church  who  teach  us  the  purest  morals  and  would 
lead  us  closest  with  Christ,  I will  not  let  any  man  say  this 
is  a Catholic  city.  It  is  a lie.  I wish  the  city  were  that  or 
something  else  that  would  make  the  people  quit  their 
meanness.  Ido.  (Great  applause.)  And  if  the  Catholic 
Church  will  take  St.  Louis  and  redeem  her  from  her  bar- 
rooms and  her  lewd  houses,  and  her  Sabbath-breaking  and 
her  corruption,  I wTill  put  on  my  hat  and  turn  the  city  over 
to  the  Catholic  Church  and  say  : “In  Christ’s  name  bring 
her  to  Christ.”  (Tremendous  applause.)  I am  not  here 
to  fight  the  Catholic  Church.  God  bless  the  Catholic  Church 
and  help  her  to  be  pure  and  holy  every  day  and  every- 
where! God  bless  the  Catholic  Church  just  in  proportion 
as  she  is  pure  and  holy  and  good  ; as  she  represents  the 
emblem  of  the  cross  she  bears.  (Long  continued  aji- 
plause.) 

AN  IDEA  FROM  CHICAGO. 

I want,  to  read  this  article.  I want  you  to  learn  it: 

Chicago,  Nov  ember  3d. — The  Chicago  Reformed  Alliance  are  about 
V>  take  measures  to  have  the  saloons  closed  on  Sundays.  The  city  gov- 


220 


SAM  JONES  SERMONS. 


ernment  will  not  be  asked  to  take  any  action  in  this  movement,  the 
method  proposed  being  to  prosecute  all  offenders  against  the  State  law 
known  as  the  Dram  Shop  Act,  which  prohibits  the  opening  of  saloons  on 
Sunday,  under  a penalty  of  $200  for  the  first  and  second  offense,  and  a 
term  in  the  penitentiary  for  the  third.  A number  of  prominent  lawyers 
have  volunteered  their  services  for  the  prosecution  of  offenders. 
Among  a number  of  saloons  visited  yesterday  by  the  committee  but  one 
was  found  closed,  and  to-day  indictments  will  be  found  against  a few  of 
the  offenders.  One  of  the  members  of  the  committee  said  there  would 
be  no  trouble  with  the  first-class  saloons. 

Hear  that.  (Laughter.)  Well,  I reckon  hell  itself  is 
graded  somehow.  (Benewed  laughter.)  “ The  first-class 
saloons !” 

One  of  the  members  of  the  committee  stated  that  there  would  be  no 
trouble  with  first-class  saloons,  as  the  owners  seemed  perfectly  willing  to 
close  up  on  Sunday. 

Brother,  let  me  say  to  you  this : Old  Missouri  on  her 
statute  book  has  promulgated  a law  that  forbids  the  sale  of 
liquor  on  Sunday ; and  I want  to  tell  you  that  the  question, 
u How  men  sworn  to  execute  the  law  can  let  this  city  be  de- 
bauched with  Sunday  saloons,”  is  a question  deeper  than  I 
have  the  power  to  probe  into.  If  you  will  elect  me  gov- 
ernor of  this  State — and  you  could  not  run  after  me  fast 
enough  to  give  it  to  me,  I have  something  better  than  that 
— but  if  I were  elected  governor  of  this  State,  I would  not 
sleep  three  hours  a night  until  I saw  that  the  laws  of  my 
State  were  enforced.  (Applause.)  Thank  God,  Georgia 
has  a governor  who  is  one  of  the  most  pious  men  in  our 
State.  He  loves  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  an  earnest  deacon  in 
the  Baptist  Church.  The  chief  justice  of  our  Supreme 
Court  will  pray  all  night  around  the  altar  with  a penitent. 
Our  judges  and  men  in  authority  love  God  and  are  moral 
men. 

A REFLECTION  ON  MISSOURI’S  GOVERNOR. 

How  can  you  reform  any  State  in  God  Almighty’s  world 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  TO  COME. 


221 


with  an  old  swill -tub  for  a governor  and  two  or  three  old 
mash-tubs  for  Supreme  Court  judges.  (Great  applause.) 
A man  who  is  privately  corrupt  can  never  be  politically 
pure  (great  applause),  and  the  first  thing  we  did  when  we 
wanted  to  reform  Georgia  was  to  put  God-fearing  and  good 
men  in  authority,  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  the 
best  State  in  the  United  States  of  America.  You  run  a 
freight  train  through  Georgia  on  Sunday,  and  the  conductor 
and  the  brakesmen  and  the  whole  crew  employed  on  the 
train  will  sleep  in  jail  that  night.  (Cries  of  “Good”  and 
applause.)  And  you  open  a bar-room  in  our  State  on  Sun- 
day and  you  will  sleep  in  jail  that  night.  (Applause.)  We 
have  a God  and  a Sunday  in  Georgia,  and  they  are  as  pre- 
cious to  us  as  our  wives  and  our  children.  (Applause.) 

To-clay  do  1 declare  I will  render  doable. 

Now,  there  is  no  malice  aforethought  in  what  I have  just 
said  on  this  tangent,  but  I say  this  about  selling  whisky : 
No  man  can  be  a Christian  and  sell  whisky.  I hope  to  God 
Almighty  the  grand  old  Catholic  Church  will  turn  every 
barrel  and  every  demijohn  out  of  the  whole  concern.  I 
hope  the  grand  old  Methodist  and  Presbyterian  and  Baptist 
Churches  will  touch  not  and  taste  not  and  handle  not  the 
men  who  sell  it  or  the  men  who  drink  it. 

A TEMPERANCE  STORY. 

That  boy  of  whom  I was  speaking  told  his  employers,  “I 
can  not  stay  any  longer  with  you.”  They  said,  “Well,  we 
are  sorry  to  give  you  up.  You  have  been  a good  boy  since 
you  have  been  with  us.”  And  they  paid  him  off.  They 
were  pay  ing  him  $50  a month.  That  boy  went  back  to  the 
services  and  surrendered  his  heart  to  God.  And  he  went 
home  and  lifted  up  his  heart  to  God.  The  next  morning, 
just  after  breakfast,  he  received  a note  from  his  old  employ- 
ers. He  went  down  to  their  store,  and  they  said,  “Walk 


222 


SAM  JONES  SERMONS. 


into  the  liquor-room  that  was.”  He  walked  in  and  he  saw 
that  every  barrel  had  been  rolled  out ; and  they  said  to  him, 
“ ¥e  have  closed  out  that  part  of  the  business,,  and  if  you 
will  come  back  and  clerk  for  us  again  we  will  give  you  $100 
a month. 

To-day  do  I declare  I will  render  double  unto  thee. 

No  man  ever  lost  anything  by  surrendering  a wrong  and 
giving  his  life  to  God.  No,  sir.  Well,  some  man  in  the 
house  may  say,  “I  do  not  believe  your  anecdote.”  But  I 
can  tell  you  one  a heap  bigger  than  that.  (Laughter  and 
applause.)  Fourteen  years  ago — my  brethren  of  the  minis- 
try, hear  me — fourteen  years  ago  I gave  my  life  and  heart 
and  all  to  God  and  entered  into  his  service,  and  I read  in 
that  book — and  I thought  it  was  a big  statement — 

If  you  will  forsake  houses  aud  lands  and  all  to  follow  me,  I will  give 
you  one-hundred  fold  more  in  this  life  and  everlasting  life  in  the  world 
to  come. 

Well,  I took  God  at  his  word.  When  I started  out  to 
follow  God,  I left  our  little  home  in  Cartersville,  but,  bless- 
ed be  God,  he  has  given  me  a hundred  homes  wherever  I have 
gone — just  as  good  as  home  could  be.  And  I left  one 
mother — a gracious  stepmother  she  was  to  me — I left  her 
to  follow  Christ,  and,  bless  his  holy  name,  he  has  given  me 
a thousand  mothers  wherever  I have  gone,  who  have  been  as 
good  to  me  as  my  own  precious  mother.  I left  a few 
friends  in  my  own  home  to  follow  Christ,  but,  blessed  be 
God,  he  has  given  me  a thousand  friends  for  every  one  I have 
left.  And,  blessed  be  God,  I have  now  one  thousand  fold 
more  in  this  life  and  the  bright  hope  of  everlasting  life  in 
the  world  to  come.  God  help  every  man  here  to-night  to 
say,  I will  turn  to  the  stronghold ! I will  be  a Christian ! I 
will  give  myself  to  God ! 

AN  APPEAL  TO  THE  PROFESSORS. 

Now,  as  we  are  v-oina*  to  dismiss  this  service  in  a moment, 


PREPARE  FOR  THE  LIFE  ko  COME.  223 

brethren,  I wish  to  say  I have  been  here  a week,  preaching, 
praying,  doing  the  best  in  my  poor,  humble  way,  with  a 
thousand  faults  and  a thousand  mistakes.  I know  it.  I 
know  it.  I know  it.  I need  sympathy  and  the  mercy  of 
God  for  myself.  But,  brethren,  will  you  be  honest  with 
God  ? Will  every  member  of  every  church  who  sits  before 
me  to-night — and  only  members  of  some  church — how 
many  of  you  will  stand  up  with  me  and  say  : “ God  helping 
me,  I intend  to  be  loyal  to  my  vows ; I intend  to  help  to  win 
the  world  to  Christ  by  a faithful,  earnest  life  and  make 
my  way  to  Heaven ; 1 am  going  to  work  out,  under  this 
star  of  hope,  my  salvation,  with  fear  and  trembling 55  ? 
Brethren,  I say  not  now  what  your  past  life  has  been.  But 
listen  a moment.  I want  to  talk  for  myself  a moment. 
Brethren,  whatever  may  have  been  my  past,  I feel  like 
standing  up  and  saying  with  you : u Oh,  God  ! if  I have 
never  done  it  before,  right  here  and  now  I give  myself  to 
thee  from  head  to  foot,  through  and  through,  soul  and  body? 
for  time  and  eternity.55  How  many  of  you  brethren  in 
Christ,  of  all  churches,  will  stand  up  with  me  a minute  and 
say  : “ That  is  my  honest  'conviction  ; I give  myself  wholly 
to  God 55  ? How  every  one  that  feels  that  way,  stand  up. 

(The  great  majority  of  the  people  in  the  hail  rose.) 

THE  PENITENTS. 

Well,  thank  God.  What  a host.  Brethren,  let  us  keep 
our  vows  and  do  our  duty.  How,  please  be  seated  a mo- 
ment. I am  going  to  ask  every  man — you  see  what  we  have 
done — I am  going  to  ask  that  every  man  not  a member  of 
any  church,  not  a professor  of  religion,  will  stand  up.  Oh 
fathers,  we  can  not  afford  to  be  wicked  and  wayward.  Boys 
with  good  mothers,  boys  with  good  fathers,  you  can  not  af- 
ford to  be  wicked  and  wayward.  Brethren,  how  many  of 


224 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


you  not  members  of  any  cburcli  will  stand  up  and  say  hon- 
estly “ I want  to  be  a Christian  ; I want  to  be  a good  man ; 
I want  to  seek  Godj;  I want  the  prayers  of  all  this  people”? 
H OW)  my  friend,  will  you  be  honest  with  your  soul  and  with 
yourself  ? I trust  every  man  not  a Christian  will  stand  up 
in  his  place  for  a moment  and  say — and  having  said  it,  stand 
by  it  forever — “ I want  to  be  a Christian.  I want  to  do 
right;  I want  to  find  my  way  to  Heaven.”  How  many  in 
this  house,  in  the  gallery  or  anywhere,  will  stand  up  and 
say  : “ It  is  true  from  the  depths  of  my  heart  I want  to  be 
a Christian”?  How,  let  every  one  not  a member  of  a 
church,  stand  up.  Will  you  stand?  (Some  fifty  persons 
rose.)  That  is  right.  Thank  God  ! Thank  God ! Every- 
where over  the  house  ! stand  up  and  stand  a moment.  That 
is  right.  Thank  God ! Thank  God  ! How  in  a moment 
we  are  going  to  pronounce  the  benediction,  and  will  every 
person  here — you  who  stood  up  and  you  who  did  not  stand 
up — if  you  are  not  a Christian,  when  the  congregation  passes 
out  stay  here  about  five  minutes,  and  let  us  talk  over  this 
eternal  question?  Oh,  this  is  business  for  eternity! 
Won’t  you  stay  with  us  a few  minutes?  Gather  herein 
front  after  the  congregation  passes  out,  and  let  you  and  I 
talk  a little  on  this  question  to-night.  These  preachers  will 
help  you.  If  you  have  your  wife  along  she  will  come  with 
you.  If  you  have  friends  along,  your  friends  will  come  with 
you.  Let  every  soul  not  a Christian  come  to  the  front  after 
the  congregation  passes  out.  Pray  God  to-night  that  you 
may  all  ] rofess  the  precious  hope  that  you  may  be  saved 
for  time  and  eternity.  ( Cries  of  Amen.)  Blessed  God, 
abide  with  us  now  and  forever.  Amen. 

Seventy-five  persons  stayed  to  prayers,  and  of  these,  twen- 
ty-five  made  profession  of  Christ  as  their  hope  for  the  life 
to  come. 


DO  NOT  DELAY'  REPENTANCE* 


225 


BO  NOT  BELAY  REPENTANCE. 

While  this  damp  night  is  keeping  many  away  let  11s  who 
are  here  be  earnest  and  prayerful.  I have  scarcely  ever 
seen  a rainy  night  during  revival  meetings  that  were  not 
better  than  any  other  nights  of  the  meeting  in  results  and 
in  blessing  upon  the  congregation.  I naturally  take  it 
for  granted  this  congregation  is  in  earnest,  that  you  are  here 
for  good.  And  now  let  us  be  prayerful,  and  let  us  expect, 
each  of  us,  for  himself,  just  such  a blessing  on  our  hearts 
as  we  need.  If  it  is  a blessing  of  consecration  on  the  part 
of  Christian  people,  let  us  expect  that  and  let  us  not  be  sat- 
isfied to  go  away  without  it.  If  it  is  of  pardon,  justifica- 
tion, peace — if  that  is  the  sort  of  blessing  we  are  seeking, 
let  us  look  for  it  to-night,  and  let  us  not  go  away  satisfied 
without  it. 

SAVING  HIS  TEXT  FOR  THE  ENDING. 

It  is  usually  customary  for  a preacher  to  announce  his 
text  and  then  discuss  it.  We  generally  read  our  text  and 
then  expound  it.  But,  without  any  purpose  or  desire  to 
be  singular  or  odd  in  this  case,  I shall  first  preach  the  ser- 
mon and  then  read  the  text,  because  this  text  is  the  answer 
to  the  question  I want  you  to  spend  thirty  minutes  with  me 
in  discussing. 

This  is  a wonderful  old  book  from  which  we  get  our  text. 
It  goes  back  to  the  beginning  of  all  things,  and  forward  to 
the  end  of  all  things.  In  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  I 
read  of  my  own  origin  and  the  origin  of  all  creation,  and  I 
read  how  the  evening  and  the  morning  were  the  first  day 
and  the  second  day,  and  how  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  day 
the  sons  of  God  and  the  angels  shouted  over  a finished 
15 


226 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


world.  One  chapter  of  this  book  is  devoted  to  mv  origin, 
and  the  thousand  chapters  which  follow  warn  me  of  my 
destiny.  God  devotes  one  chapter  of  this  book,  one  page  of 
the  book,  to  telling  me  whence  I come  and  all  the  other 
warnings  and  all  the  other  rebukes  and  promises  and  pre- 
cepts of  his  word  are  but  so  many  index  fingers  pointing 
into  the  great  hereafter,  warning  me  of  my  destiny. 

I believe  there  is  but  one  thing  condemned  in  this  book, 
and  that  is  sin ; and  sin  is  the  only  thing  in  the  universe  of 
God  that  can  permanently  harm  a soul.  Disappointments 
may  sadden  me.  Vexation  and  cares  may  worry  me,  and  the 
thousand  of  the  environments  of  earth  may  fret  me.  But 
there  is  but  one  thing  that  can  permanently  damage  the  soul, 
and  that  is  sin.  And,  really,  I don’t  need  any  enlightenment 
from  this  book  or  the  pulpit  to  teach  me  that  sin  will  do 
its  most  work  on  character,  on  the  soul,  on  my  present,  on 
my  future  destiny.  And  if  it  is  sin  that  all  the  cannon  of 
Heaven  are  turned  loose  upon ; if  it  is  sin  that  God  would 
not  have  us  commit ; if  it  is  sin  that  Heaven  frowns  upon, 
and  that  perdition  itself  would  have  us  commit ; if  it  is  sin 
— then  I stop  and  ask  this  question : 

Why  will  you  continue  in  sin? 

SALVATION  A PERSONAL  MATTER. 

Now  we  notice  a moment  the  words  of  this  question. 
They  are  very  simple,  and  yet  they  are  very  forcible : 

Why  will  you  continue  in  sin? 

Salvation  is  a personal  matter.  Damnation  a personal 
matter.  I can  get  no  one  to  die  for  me  ; no  one  to  be  buried 
in  my  stead ; no  one  to  stand  before  God  in  my  place ; no 
one  to  pass  into  glory  in  my  stead ; no  one  to  be  damned  in 
my  place.  Salvation  is  pre-eminently  a personal  matter.  I 
am  saved,  if  saved  at  all,  thank  God— I am  saved  in  my- 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


227 


self  and  for  myself.  If  I am  lost,  it  is  me  lost,  and  if 
every  other  man  should  make  his  way  to  God,  I am  shut 
up  to  the  consciousness  that  Heaven’s  door  is  closed  in 
my  face,  and  that  I personally  am  shut  up  in  Hell  forever. 
Men  sin  in  groups  and  go  in  schools  and  run  with  the  mul- 
titude, but  judgment  is  personal.  Salvation  is  personal. 
You  and  I,  if  we  walk  into  glory,  will  walk  in  just  as  per- 
sonally and  as  really  as  if  we  were  the  only  ones  that  left 
this  earth  for  a better  world.  If  we  are  damned,  we  shall 
be  damned  as  personally  as  if  we  were  the  only  men  that 
the  sentence  of  God  should  rest  upon  through  all  eternity. 
And  this  question  means  something. 

THE  QUESTION  NARROWED  DOWN. 

Why  will  you  ? — not  why  will  the  church ; not  why  will 
the  preachers ; not  why  will  the  cities ; not  why  will  States ; 
but  why  will  you,  you,  you?  I don’t  mean  the  man  in  front 
of  you,  nor  the  one  behind  you,  nor  the  one  to  your  right  nor 
your  left.  I mean  you!  you!  Why  will  you  continue 
in  sin? 

How,  recollect : I don’t  ask  you  how  it  is  you  have  lived 
in  sin  up  to  this  hour.  I don’t  ask  you  how  it  happened 
that  you  were  born  a sinner.  That  might  involve  a theo- 
logical discussion  that  you  and  I haven’t  the  capacity  to  go 
into.  I don’t  ask  you  why  you  have  continued  to  live  in  sin 
up  to  this  moment.  That  is  a question  that  might  involve 
exculpatory  statements  on  your  part,  that  I have  neither 
time  nor  disposition  to  listen  to.  The  question,  plainly  put, 
is,  not  why  you  have  come  into  this  hall  to-night  a sinner, 
nor  why  you  were  born  in  sin,  but  why  will  you  go  from 
this  hall  in  rebellion  against  God  and  to  lead  another  hour 
of  a life  of  sin?  That’s  the  question. 

Now,  some  people  think  that  sin  is  a something  that 


228 


SAM  JONES  SERMONS. 


floats  around  in  the  atmosphere.  Some  people  think  sin  ip 
a roaring  lion  going  about  seeking  whom  it  may  devour 
But  sin  is  not  something  in  the  atmosphere  around,  and  sin 
is  not  a roaring  lion  on  our  track.  Sin  is  an  act  committed. 
It  is  a deed  done.  It  is  a word  spoken.  “ Sin,”  said  the 
apostle,  “ is  transgressing  the  law  ” — doing  something  that 
you  ought  not  to  do  and  which  you  know  you  ought  not  to 
do.  It  is  saying  something  that  you  ought  not  to  say  and 
which  you  know  you  ought  not  to  say.  It  is  the  living  of 
a life  of  rebellion  against  God,  and  the  doing  of  those 
things  that  God  forbids  and  the  leaving  undone  those  things 
that  God  commands  we  should  do.  Now,  the  question 
plainly  put  is  : 

Why  will  you  lead  this  life  and  continue  doing  and  say- 
ing those  things  and  neglecting  these  things  ? Why  will 
you? 

THE  PLEA  OF  IGNORANCE  OF  SIN. 

Now  we  answer  first  for  you  : Is  it  because  you  are  igno- 
rant of  what  sin  is  ? Can  any  man  in  this  house  say,  “ I 
don’t  know  that  it  is  wrong  to  swear,  and  wrong  to  drink, 
and  wrong  to  lie,  and  wrong  to  rebel,  and  wrong  to  live  in 
darkness  ” when  light  is  proffered  ? Can  any  man  say  that  ? 
Can  any  man  raised  in  the  land  of  Bibles  look  God  and  an- 
gels in  the  face  and  say,  “ The  reason  I live  here  an  impen- 
itent sinner  is  because  I don’t  know  what  sin  is”?  Will 
you  say  that?  Have  you  never  read  in  that  book,  “Thou1 
shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain  ” ? 
Have  you  never  read  in  that  book,  u Thou  shalt  not  bear 
false  witness  ” ? Have  you  never  read,  “ Remember  the 
Sabbath  Day  to  keep  it  holy  ” ? Have  you  never  read,  “ He 
that  breaketh  the  least  commandment  is  guilty  of  all  ” ? 
Then  I ask  you,  friend,  can  you  say  now,  or  ever,  that  the 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


229 


reason  yon  leave  here  impenitent  to-night  is  because  you 
don’t  know  what  sin  is?  Will  you  say  that ? 

Do  you  know  that  every  sinner  in  this  land  stands  self- 
convicted  on  that  proposition?  There’s  not  a sinner  in  this 
city  that  hasn’t  for  years  been  criticising  the  life  of  the 
church,  and  you  know  that  every  criticism  of  your  lips  on 
the  life  of  a member  of  the  church  is  incontestable  proof 
that  you  know  what  right  is,  and  that  you  know  what  wrong 
is.  You  won’t  suffer  these  members  of  the  church  to  do 
wrong,  and  when  they  do  do  wrong  you  speak  of  it,  and 
point  the  finger  of  scorn  at  them. 

The  fact  of  the  business  is,  the  church  ought  to  live  up 
to  the  world’s  standard  of  character,  and  my  highest  aspira- 
tion in  this  life  is  for  all  of  us  to  come  up  to  where  the 
world  knows  and  says  we  ought  to  get  up  to.  That’s  it. 
These  sinners  don’t  permit  us  to  do  wrong.  If  we  do 
wrong  they  say:  u That  isn’t  right!  You’ve  promised  to 
do  right.”  Oh,  brother!  don’t  let  the  church’s  standard  of 
righteousness  be  lower  than  the  standard  that  sinners  have 
raised  for  us  ! 

WRONG  FOR  PROFESSORS,  WRONG  FOR  SINNERS. 

Yes,  but  you  say,  “ 1 know  it  is  wrong  for  members  of 
the  church  to  do  that  way,  but  is  it  wrong  for  us  ? ” Look 
a here,  friend  ! 1 have  got  as  much  right  to  get  drunk  to- 
night after  service  as  any  man  in  this  house,  God  being 
judge,  you  see.  I have  just  as  much  right  to  go  and  gam 
ble  to-night  till  3 o’clock  in  the  morning  as  any  man  in  this 
house  has,  God  being  judge.  I have  just  as  much  right 
to  tell  a lie  to  night  when  I am  through  preaching  as  any 
man  in  the  house  has  to  tell  a lie,  God  being  judge.  I won- 
der who  gave  you  permission  to  do  wrong.  And  the  big- 
gest mistake  in  this  universe  is  for  a man,  simply  because 


230 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


lie  don’t  belong  to  the  church,  to  imagine  that  God  has 
given  him  license  to  do  wrong.  God  doesn’t  look  upon  sin 
with  the  least  allowance,  and  “ the  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die,”  whether  in  the  church  or  out.  The  only  difference 
between  men  in  the  church  and  men  out  of  the  church  is, 
the  one  acknowledge  their  obligations  to  live  right  and  the 
others  have  not.  That’s  all.  You  are  under  as  many  obli- 
gations to  God  and  right,  to  be  and  to  do  good  as  I am. 
Doesn’t  God  feed  you  and  clothe  you  and  care  for  you  and 
doesn’t  his  sun  shine  upon  the  just  and  the  unjust  alike,  and 
hasn’t  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  been  poured  out  for  you 
just  like  it  has  been  poured  out  for  me  ? I have  as  much 
right  to  do  wrong  as  any  man  in  the  world  if  you  let  God 
be  judge. 

A WHOLESOME  DIFFERENCE. 

I know  it  looks  worse  for  a member  of  the  church  to  do 
wrong,  and  I’ll  tell  you  wdiy.  The  difference  between  a 
member  of  the  church  and  that  sinner  out  of  the  church  is 
this:  That  member  of  the  church  is  like  a white  piece  of 
canvas,  and  you  sprinkle  any  kind  of  mud  or  dirt  on  a white 
piece  of  canvas  and  it  shows  very  plainly;  and  that’s  the 
member  of  the  church.  But  you  take  an  old,  dirty,  grimy 
piece  of  canvas,  and  you  can  just  rub  anything  you  wrant  to 
on  it  and  it  don’t  show  at  all.  (Laughter.)  And  that’s  the 
difference  between  a member  of  the  church  and  an  old  sin- 
ner out  of  it.  (Laughter.) 

If  I were  to  go  down  to-night  and  get  drunk,  or  if  I were 
to  get  drunk  on  the  streets  of  St.  Louis  to-morrow,  the  tele- 
graph wires  of  the  country  would  catch  it  up  and  it  wmuld 
be  telegraphed  all  over  the  face  of  the  Union,  “Mr.  Jones 
is  in  St.  Louis,  drunk.”  (Laughter.) 

But  there’s  many  an  old-  red-nosed  fellow  in  this  town 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCF. 


231 


gets  drunk  every  day  and  nobody  pays  any  more  attention 
to  it  tlian  they  do  to  the  sun  shining.  You  see  that’s  the 
difference  between  a gentleman  and  a vagabond ! Don’t  you 
see  ? (Laughter.) 

If  I were  to  step  out  on  the  streets  to-morrow  and  swear 
and  profane  the  name  of  God,  the  newspapers  would  catch 
it  up  and  declare  that  I was  blaspheming  on  the  streets  of 
this  city.  But  there  are  10,000  black-mouthed  swearers  in 
this  town  who  profane  the  name  of  God  every  day  upon 
the  streets,  and  people  pay  no  attention  whatever  to  them. 
Now,  you  see,  that’s  just  the  difference  between  a gentle- 
man and  a vagabond ! Don’t  you  see  ? (Laughter.) 

A DISTINCTION  IN  THINGS. 

I’m  glad  this  world  makes  distinctions.  (Laughter.)  I’m 
glad.  There’s  some  of  you  won’t  walk  down  street  but 
some  vagabond  will  say  to  you,  “ Come  in  and  take  a drink 
with  me.”  But  I can  walk  these  streets  ten  years  and 
nobody  will  ever  ask  me  to  take  a drink.  Don’t  you  see? 
(Laughter.) 

This  world  knows  wdio’s  who.  I’m  so  glad  this  world 
will  let  a gentleman  pass  on  and  let  him  alone.  I’m  glad 
of  that. 

And  whenever  a man  asks  you  to  take  a drink  with  him 
in  these  bar-rooms  down  here  he’s  got  you  down  in  his 
book  as  a vagabond  (laughter),  and  he  ain’t  missing  it  much, 
either.  You  can  put  that  down.  (Laughter  and  applause.) 
I know  the  sort  I used  to  ask  when  I drank.  I know  how 
I had  them  down,  and  I never  misput  a fellow  down,  for  I 
had  him  down  right  every  time.  Why,  there  were  gentle- 
men down  in  Cartersville.  I would  never  let  ’em  see  me 
go  into  a grocery,  much  less  ask  ’em  in.  And  I am  so  glad 
that  a man  never  gets  it  right  but  what  he  respects  virtue, 


232  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

and  sobriety,  and  goodness.  I’m  so  glad  of  that.  (Ap- 
plause.) 

No  man  here  to-night  can  look  the  preacher  in  the  face 
and  say,  “The  reason  I live  here  a sinner  is  because  I don’t 
know  what  sin  is.” 

We  know  wrong  is  wrong  and  right  is  right.  We  know 
we  ought  not  to  do  wrong,  and  we  know  we  ought  to  do 
the  right. 

PLEADING  IGNORANCE  OF  CONSEQUENCES. 

Well,  then,  I ask  you  again,  is  it  because  you  are  ig- 
norant of  the  consequences  of  sin?  Will  you  say  that?  Is 
there  a man  here  who  never  read  in  that  book,  “The 
wicked  shall  be  turned  into  Hell”? 

But  you  say,  “Forsooth,  and  there  is  no  hell.”  I know 
the  cry  of  this  nineteenth  century  is,  “ There  is  no  hell,” 
and  I am  sorry  to  see  that  in  all  this  land,  where  men  have 
sworn  eternal  allegiance  to  that  book,  there  is  not  one  preacher 
in  twenty  to-day  that  will  stand  up  and  preach  hell  as  that 
book  asserts  it.  Of  course,  the  preachers  in  St.  Louis  do, 
but  I am  speaking  of  preachers  elsewhere.  They  won’t  do 
it.  (Laughter.) 

Why,  it  is  considered  vulgar  now,  really  vulgar,  for  a man 
to  get  up  and  preach  hell  to  sinners.  (Laughter.)  Don’t 
you  know  that  it  is  so  ? And  I want  to  say  to  you  this : I 
will  take  the  records  of  the  Church  of  God,  and  every 
preacher  that  had  power  with  God  and  influence  with  men, 
and  that  brought  thousands  to  Christ,  every  one  of  them — 
I run  back,  and  I will  take  Bunyan,  and  I will  take  Whit- 
field, and  I will  take  J onathan  Edwards,  and  I will  take 
Charles  G.  Finney,  and  I will  take  your  own  leading  evan- 
gelist in  America,  Dwight  L.  Moody.  I will  take  C.  H- 
Spurgeon,  in  London,  and  every  man  that  had  power  with 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


233 


God  and  influence  with  men — believed  in  a real,  genuine, 
Scriptural,  brimstone  hell!  Now,  what  do  you  say?  (Ap- 
plause.) 

NOT  POLITE  TO  BELIEVE  IN  HELL. 

It  is  not  polite  to  believe  that  way  (laughter),  and  many 
a little  fellow  has  scratched  that  out  of  his  creed ; but  he 
won’t  be  in  hell  more  than  fifteen  minutes  before  he  will 
revise  his  creed,  and  have  nothing  in  it  but  hell  (laughter) ; 
he  will  scratch  out  all  the  rest.  (Laughter.)  I am  sorry 
for  a fellow  fooling  away  his  time  that  way.  And  I want 
to  say  to  you  to-night,  the  biggest  fool  this  world  ever  saw 
is  the  man  that  gets  in  the  biggest,  broadest,  plainest  road 
to  hell,  and  stops  on  the  way  trying  to  persuade  people 
there  is  no  such  place  as  hell!  The  biggest  fool  this 
world  ever  looked  on  is  the  man  that  spends  all  his  proba- 
tionary existence  trying  to  persuade  himself  that  there  is 
no  hell,  and  then,  after  death,  he  lays  down  in  hell,  forever 
realizing  that  there  is  one. 

You  say,  “Well,  I don’t  like  these  hell-scared  sinners.” 
Why,  bless  you!  they  are  the  only  sort  I do  like.  And  I 
want  to  tell  *you  to-night,  fourteen  years  ago  I got  a good 
scare,  and,  blessed  be  God ! I ain’t  over  it  good  yet,  and  I 
never  want  to  get  over  it  (laughter)  until  1 get  into  the 
pearly  gates,  safe  forever.  (A  voice : “Amen ! ”)  And  I 
believe  in  hell  just  as  strong  as  I believe  in  heaven,  and  I 
believe  that  a topless  heaven  has  its  counterpart  in  a bot- 
tomless hell.  And  just  in  proportion  as  you  let  up  at  this 
point,  that  minute  you  run  riot  in  wickedness  and  sin  and 
outrageous  conduct ; and  I want  to  say  to  you  all  to-night, 
my  fellow-citizens,  I believe  that  if  a man  lives  and  dies  in 
his  sins,  because  that  book  says  so,  that  he  is  lost — and  lost 
forever!  If  Heaven  is  eternal,  then  Hell  is  eternal,  for  the 


234 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


same  adjectives  that  apply  to  the  one  apply  to  the  other; 
and  this  much  I say,  “ God  help  me ! God  help  me ! that  I 
may  never  go  there.” 

THE  LOCALITY  OF  HELL. 

A man  asked  me  the  other  day  where  Hell  was?  Said  I: 
“ I don’t  know,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  I never  will  know 
— I never  will  know.”  And  he  asked  me  was  there  really 
genuine,  burning  brimstone  there?  Said  I : “ I am  so  afraid 
there  is,  that  I am  never  going  there,  and  I am  never  going 
to  see  whether  there  is  or  not.”  (Laughter.)  God  keep 
the  gate  of  Heaven  wide  open  before  me,  and  some  of 
these  days  I will  run  right  into  glory  and  to  God ; and  then, 
in  Heaven,  shut  up  forever,  I shall  be  delivered  from  Hell 
forever. 

No,  sir,  no  man  here  can  say,  “ The  reason  I live  here  a 
sinner  is  because  I don’t  know  what  sin  will  lead  to.”  I like 
very  well  the  definition  of  the  old  colored  woman.  When  the 
old  man  came  home  he  said,  “ Auntie,  the  preacher  preached 
to-day  about  hell  tire  and  brimstone,”  and  he  said,  “Auntie, 
where  does  God  get  all  the  brimstone  to  burn  forever?” 
The  old  woman  said,  “Honey,  all  the  old  sinners  takes  the 
brimstone  with  ’em  there  to  burn  ’em  forever.  (Laughter.) 
No,  sir! 

Then  I come  closer  to  you  wdth  this  question.  You  say 
you  will  leave  here  a sinner  to-night — and  men  will  do  it 
to-night.  Impenitent  sinners,  you  will  leave  here  that  way. 
Well,  why?  It  is  not  because  you  are  ignorant  of  the  na- 
ture of  sin,  and  ignorant  of  its  consequences.  You  know 
what  sin  is,  and  you  know  what  sin  will  do  for  a man,  and 
I know  that  sin  will  ruin  a man  in  this  world,  and  I know 
that  sin  is  the  same  in  all  worlds.  Men  are  the  same  in  all 
worlds,  and  it  is  not  a question  how  long  he  will  endure,  but 
how  long  will  sin  endure? 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


235 


THE  PLEA  OF  INDIFFERENCE. 

Then,  I ash  you  again,  is  it  because  you  are  indifferent  to 
the  truth  ? You  know  what  the  truth  is,  and  you  know 
what  sin  will  do  for  you,  and  yet  you  are  indifferent  to  the 
truth.  Oh,  how  many  indifferent  men  in  this  world  that 
wear  a placid  countenance  when  every  nerve  and  muscle  in 
them  ought  to  be  shaking  under  the  pressure  and  power  of 
truth  as  it  is  applied,  to  them  ! Oh,  how  many  indifferent 
m6n  here  to-night — indifferent  to  the  truth;  indifferent  to 
their  condition — and  may  be  in  twenty-four  hours  from  this 
moment  they  will  be  in  eternity  and  their  body  in  their  cof- 
fin ; and  yet  they  are  perfectly  indifferent  to  the  future — ■ 
indifferent ! And  I do  thank  God  that  whatever  may  have 
been  my  estate  as  a sinner,  thank  God,  I never  reached  the 
point  when  I was  indifferent  to  the  truth.  Sometimes  I 
would  not  go  to  church  once  in  six  months,  with  the  bells 
ringing  all  around  me  Sabbath  morning,  and  yet  I say  to 
you  to-night,  I never  went  with  my  Christian  wife  to  the 
house  of  God  and  heard  an  honest  gospel  sermon  that  it 
didn’t  move  me  from  head  to  foox.  I tried  to  appear  in- 
different. I would  not  let  my  wife  know  how  I felt  for  all 
the  world  ; I would  not  let  the  preacher  know  it  for  all  the 
world,  and  yet  I carried  a placid,  indifferent  countenance 
through  it  all.  And  yet  that  man  out  there  says  to-night: 
“ That  is  my  condition,  I feel  a good  deal  different  from 
what  my  wife  thinks  anything  about  and  what  my  neighbor 
thinks  anything  about ; I am  concerned  about  the  great 
hereafter.”  It  is  not  indifference. 

THE  PLEA  OF  RECKLESSNESS. 

Then  I ask  you,  “ is  it  because  you  are  reckless  as  to  the 
consequences  ?”  Sometimes  men  put  on  an  air  of  reckless- 


236 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


ness  and  sometimes  they  seem  to  defy  God  and  defy  man ; they 
curse  with  a loud  voice  and  sin  with  an  outstretched  arm, 
and  they  think,  “ I have  nothing  to  conceal ; I sin  publicly 
and  openly  ; I defy  God  to  his  face,”  and  there  is  a reckless- 
ness that  is  enough  to  make  men  tremble  as  they  look  upon 
it.  Recklessness^  You  say,  “ how  foolish  these  things.” 

In  my  own  town  one  night,  one  of  our  citizens,  a daring, 
reckless  drinking  man,  stood  on  the  platform  of  the  depot, 
and  he  said  : u To-night  I am  going  to  walk  up  the  railroad 
and  meet  the  down  passenger  night  express,  and,”  said  he, 
“ I am  going  to  meet  it  on  the  track  and  gather  the  engine  in 
my  hands  and  hurl  it  into  the  ditch  on  the  side  of  the 
track.”  They  laughed  at  him  ; felt  his  recklessness  had 
assumed  a very  humorous  turn,  and  that  night  as  the  down 
passenger  train  came  rolling  and  thundering  down,  just  a 
quarter  above  the  depot,  this  maddened,  reckless  wretch 
met  it  on  the  track  and  stooped  to  catch  it  by  its  defender, 
and  it  rushed  and  rolled  on  and  he  was  ground  to  powder. 
Oh,  how  reckless  that  man  w^as  ! And  there  is  that  man 
rushing  right  up  into  the  face  of  God  and  his  judgment, 
and  by  and  by  instead  of  tossing  God  and  judgment  to  one 
side,  “ upon  whom  this  stone  shall  fall,  it  shall  grind  him 
to  powder.” 

GREEDY  FOR  HELL. 

Recklessness  ! There  are  men  in  this  city  that  are  reck- 
less in  the  highest  degree.  They  are  not  willing  to  live  out 
their  three-score  years  and  ten  and  lie  down  and  die  and  go 
to  perdition  by  the  natural  order  of  things  ; but  instead 
of  living  out  their  three-score  years  and  ten,  and  dying 
and  going  to  Hell,  twenty,  thirty,  forty  years  hence,  I 
see  these  men  frequenting  bar-rooms,  pouring  the  liquid 
damnation  down  their  throats,  and  I see  it  affecting 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


237 


their  constitutions  day  by  day,  and  then  I see  the 
physician  of  the  family  tell  him:  “You  must  hold  up, 
sir,  or  you  will  soon  be  in  your  grave ; 55  but  instead 
of  holding  up  he  . drinks  on,  and  drinks  on,  and  now 
we  see  him  with  liquor  bringing  him  within  six  months  of 
his  grave  and  of  Ileil  and  of  his  lost  estate,  and  he  is  not 
satisfied  to  drink  on,  and  at  the  end  of  the  six  months  he 
walks  out  on  your  street  and  picks  a quarrel  with  a friend, 
and  that  friend  shoots  him  down  on  the  sidewalk,  and  he 
leaps  off  the  sidewalk  of  your  city  down  into  Hell  twenty 
years  before  his  time — and  there  is  a man  greedy  for  dam- 
nation ; he  is  in  a hurry  to  be  lost.  God  help  that  man 
to-night  as  he  leaps  recklessly  into  perdition  and  the  cham- 
ber of  the  dead.  Whatever  you  do,  halt  to-night  and  say, 
“ I will  not  rush  on  God  and  the  grave  and  on  eternity  un- 
prepared.55 

AHEAD  OF  SCHEDULE  TIME. 

There  are  men  out  here  in  your  cemeteries  to-night,  if 
they  had  lived  along  as  quiet,  sober  citizens,  they  could 
have  been  here  hearing  this  sermon  to-night ; they  could 
have  enjoyed  the  blessed  privilege  of  these  revival  meet- 
ings. There  are  men  in  your  cemeteries  to-night  who 
might  find  Christ  in  these  meetings  and  be  saved  forever, 
but  they  were  reckless  and  greedy  for  damnation  and  in  a 
hurry  to  be  damned. 

The  Lord  pity  us  to-night  and  check  us  up  to-night,  and 
if  we  never  stop  again,  God  bring  us  to  a halt  and  bring 
us  to  our  senses  one  more  time  before  we  die. 

You  say:  “ I am  not  a reckless  man.55  There’s  many  a 
man  appears  to  be  reckless,  but  when  he  turns  off  the  gas  at 
night  and  sits  alone  with  God  he  is  afraid  of  God,  and  he  is 
afraid  of  the  judgment,  and  he  is  afiaid  of  eternity,  and  he 


238  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

is  afraid  of  the-  great  beyond.  “ No,  sir,”  it  is  not  reckless- 
ness you  say. 

THE  PLEA  OF  PRESENT  SATISFACTION. 

Then  I push  this  question  on  you  and  ask  you  this  : Is  it 
because  you  are  satisfied  with  your  present  estate,  your 
present  condition?  I am  so  glad, brethren,  that  God  will 
not  sutler  any  man  to  lie  down  and  sleep  his  way  to  Hell. 
No,  sir!  Twenty-four  years  the  life  of  a sinner  taught  me 
this  fact : 

A poor  sinner’s  breast  is  like  the  troubled  sea  ; 

It  has  no  rest ; it  lives  devoid  of  peace ; 

A thousand  stings  within  our  souls 
Deprived  our  hearts  of  ease. 

And  I tell  you  to-night,  I never  saw  a minute  of  my  life 
that  I was  satisfied  with  my  condition.  No,  sir  ; I was  an 
orphan  and  I was  friendless  and  hopeless  amid  all  the  gaye- 
ties  of  life,  when  I looked  at  my  condition.  “No,  sir,”  you 
say,  “ it  is  not  because  I am  satisfied  with  my  present  condi- 
tion.” God  won’t  suffer  a man  out  of  harmony  with  him 
to  get  into  an  estate  like  that.  I don’t  care  what  you  say 
about  your  happiness  and  your  peace  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing.  God  bless  you,  brother,  you  know  it  is  the  truth, 
that  the  pleasures  that  you  drown  your  life  in  are 

Like  poppies  spread, 

(You  seize  the  flower,  the  bloom  is  shed  ; 

Or,  like  the  snow-fall  in  the  river, 

A moment  white,  then  melts  forever. 

Lord  pity  us  poor  fellows,  feeding  on  the  husks  of  swine 
day  after  day  and  trying  to  satisfy  the  immortal  soul. 

A COMPROMISE  LIFE. 

“No,  sir.”  you  say,  “it  is  not  because  I am  satisfied  with 
my  present  condition.”  Then  I ask  you  again:  “Is  it  be- 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


239 


cause  you  are  leading  a sort  of  a compromise  life — ‘I  am 
going  to  be  religious  after  a while’  ?”  If  I were  to  make 
this  proposition  this  moment — if  I ask  every  man  in  this 
house  who  intends  to  prepare  for  death  between  this  and  his 
dying  moment,  to  rise,  every  one  in  this  house  would  stand 
up  immediately.  No  man  ever  settled  and  fixed  the  question 
unalterably  and  forever,  “I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  be 
damned.”  I never  saw  the  man  that  would  say  that.  Then, 
brother,  have  you  and  I any  more  time  to  throw  away?  I 
have  often  thought  of  that  little  fellow  running  down  to 
the  train  with  all  his  might,  and  just  as  he  reached  the 
depot  the  train  rolled  off,  and  there  he  stood,  sad  and  dis- 
appointed and  dejected,  and  a kind  friend  looked  on  the 
little  fellow  and  said,  “My  little  man,  I will  tell  you  what 
is  the  matter.”  “What?”  said  the  boy.  “Oh,”  said  the 
man,  “you  didn’t  run  fast  enough.”  “Oh,  yes,  I did,”  said 
the  boy,  “I  ran  with  all  my  might,  but  my  trouble  was  I 
didn’t  start  soon  enough.”  And  oh,  me ! there’s  many  a 
man  in  this  world  that  will  miss  Heaven,  not  because  he 
didn’t  start,  but  because  he  didn’t  start  soon  enough.  And 
I have  seen  the  passenger  stand  at  the  depot  platform  and 
the  train  had  gone,  had  gone,  had  gone,  and  I looked  into 
his  face  and  I saw  written  upon  every  tissue  and  ligament 
of  his  countenance,  “ Left ! left!  left!”  And  when  the  last 
hope  shall  have  swept  by  you  and  gone  on  without  you, 
then  upon  every  fibre  and  tissue  01  your  soul  will  be  writ- 
ten, “ Left  and  lost ! Lost  and  left  forever.” 

Oh,  my  Lord ! teach  men  that  while  God  Almighty  runs 
His  trains  right  at  our  feet  every  day,  and  checks  up  enough 
for  us  all  to  get  aboard,  it  is  the  bounden  duty  of  every 
man  to  step  on  board  and  go  to  God  and  to  glory. 


240 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


FOLLY  OF  “ GOING-  TO  QUIT  WRONG.” 

A great  many  people  think,  “Well,  Pm  going  to  quit 
doing  wrong;  I have  made  my  mind  up  for  that.”  Yes. 
What  is  that  worth  ? Here  is  a man  whose  all  depends  on 
his  reaching  Cincinnati  to-morrow  morning  at  8 o’clock. 
He  goes  down  there  to  the  depot  to-night  and  stands  there 
and  lets  the  trains  all  pull  out  and  leave  him.  You  will  say, 
“Friend,  you  have  lost  your  all.”-  “I  know  that.”  “Well, 
why  did’t  you  get  on  board?”  “Well,  I — I — I came  down 
here  to  the  train,  and  I — I — I thought  if  I wouldn’t  throw 
any  rocks  at  the  engineer,  and  I wouldn’t  cuss  the  con- 
ductor, the  thing  would  take  me  along  anyhow.  I thought 
all  that  was  necessary  was  for  me  not  to  bother  the  engineer 
and  conductor.”  And  there’s  many  a man  in  this  world 
standing  and  being  left  forever  who  expects  to  get  in  at 
last  because  he  didn’t  cuss  the  preacher  and  throw  rocks  at 
the  meeting-house.  (Laughter.)  There’s  a good  deal  of 
that  sort  of  foolishness  in  this  world. 

A PLEA  OF  SPIRITUAL  APATHY. 

Then  we  come  at  you  with  this  question:  You  say,  “Ho, 
sir,  I will  not  lead  a compromise  life.  I know  I ought  to 
he  religious,  but  I have  not  set  a day  ahead.”  Then  I ask 
you  this  question : “ Is  it  because  a spiritual  apathy  has 

taken  possession  of  your  soul  ? ” 

Listen,  brother: 

Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arouse  from  the  dead  and  Christ  shall 
give  thee  life. 

The  saddest  attitude  of  the  soul  as  it  lies  on  the  brink  of 
perdition  is  the  attitude  of  slumber.  A man  sleeping  over 
his  immortal  interests!  Can  you  imagine  a man  like  that? 
In  our  State  we  have  a Mr.  William  A.  Rogers,  president 
of  the  Marietta  Female  College.  One  morning  his  wife 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


241 


was  indisposed  and  lie  sent  his  servant  to  the  drug  store  for 
quinine.  In  a few  moments  the  servant  came  back.  Mrs. 
Rogers  took  the  powder  and  put  it  on  her  tongue.  She 
rinsed  it  down  with  water,  but  as  soon  as  she  had  swallowed 
it  she  walked  to  the  front  porch,  and  to  her  husband,  who 
wTas  in  the  flower  yard,  she  said  : “ Husband,  that  was  not 

quinine  I took  just  now.  I sent  for  quinine,  but  I am  satis- 
fied that  was  not  quinine.55  Mr.  Rogers  ran  down  with  all 
his  might  to  the  drug  store  and  said  : “ What  was  that  you 
sent  my  wife  ? 55  The  druggist  threw  up  his  hands  and  said  : 
a Sir,  I have  sent  enough  morphine  to  your  house  to  kill  a 
dozen  persons.55  Mr.  Rogers  ran  over  to  the  doctor’s  office 
and  carried  two  physicians  home  with  him.  They  admin- 
istered emetics  and  strong  coffee  and  various  remedies,  and 
directly  a death-like  stupor  began  to  crawl  over  her  frame. 
The  agonized  husband  turned  to  the  doctors  and  said:  “Is 
there  any  chance  to  save  my  poor  wife?55  “ Yes,55  they  re- 
plied, “if  we  can  keep  her  awake  for  four  hours  we  can 
save  her  life.55  The  minutes  seemed  like  hours  as  they 
walked  her  up  and  down  the  floor,  and  threw  cold  water  in 
her  face  and  whipped  her  person  with  cruel  switches,  and 
every  means  was  used.  Directly  that  death-like  stupor  be- 
came so  oppressive  that  she  turned  to  her  husband  and  said: 
“ Husband,  please,  sir,  let  me  go  to  sleep,55  and  he  said, 
“ Oh,  wife,  if  you  go  to  sleep  you  will  never  wake  up  again 
in  this  world.55  “I  know  that,55  she  said,  “but  please  sir, 
let  me  go  to  sleep.55  And  they  walked  her  up  and  down 
the  floor,  and,  directly,  when  the  stupor  overwhelmed  her 
whole  being,  she  turned  to  her  husband,  and  said  : “Hus- 
band, please,  sir,  let  me  sleep  for  just  five  minutes.55  And 
he  said : “Wife,  if.  you  go  to  sleep  for  flve  minutes,  you 
will  never  wake  up.  Aris6 ! Arouse!55  And  thus  they 
16 


242  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

♦ 

waited  until  the  four  hours  had  passed,  and  the  doctors  pro- 
nounced her  safe. 


THE  OPIATE  OF  SIFT. 

And  I have  seen  the  soul  of  man  just  in  that  condition. 
I have  worked  with  him,  prayed  with  him  and  wrestled 
with  him  day  after  day  and  week  after  week,  and  the  devil 
would  administer  opiates  to  his  soul  and  he  would  say: 
“ Just  let  me  sleep  until  this  service  is  over — this  last  hour’s 
service  of  the  meeting.  Just  let  me  sleep  through  this.” 
And  I have  aroused  him  and  we  have  sung,  “ Come  humble 
sinner,”  and  on  and  on,  and  then  he  said  : “ Just  let  me 
sleep  through  this  last  verse.” 

But  if  1 die,  that  mercy  sought 
That  on  the  King  have  cried, 

It’s  then  to  die — delightful  thought — 

As  sinner  never  died. 

And  he  sang  the  verse  through,  and  he  closed  his  eyes 
and  slept  and  slept  and  slept,  until  in  hell  he  opened  his 
eyes,  wide  awake  forever!  Oh,  brother,  can  you  sleep  that 
way  ? Oh,  brother ! Oh,  how  men  sleep  over  their  im- 
mortal interest!  How  men  sleep  over  the  interest  of  their 
souls  ! 

I can  arouse  this  town  with  the  cry  that  there  is  danger  to 
a family  here.  In  the  city  of  Atlanta,  a few  months  ago, 
the  Wilson  House,  one  of  our  second-class  hotels — in  size, 
I mean — caught  tire.  The  flames  burst  out  of  the  window, 
and  directly  the  fire-bells  commenced  ringing,  the  fire  com- 
panies came  thundering  down  the  street,  and  multitudes 
pressed  toward  the  hotel . The  servants  ran  from  room  to 
room  and  awakened  the  guests.  They  waked  up  this  one 
and  he  dressed  hurriedly  and  ran  out.  They  waked  up  that 
one  and  he  dressed  hurriedly  and  ran  out. 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


243 


COULD  NOT  BE  ROUSED. 

Finally  a servant  went  to  one  room  in  which  there  were 
two  guests,  each  in  a different  bed.  He  aroused  one.  He 
jumped  out  of  bed.  He  aroused  the  other,  but  with  a moan 
and  a groan  he  went  to  sleep  again.  The  guest  who  had 
been  aroused  dressed  himself  hurriedly  and  ran  to  the  bed 
of  the  other  and  shook  him  and  said  : “ Get  up,  the  house  is 
on  fire.”  He  simply  moaned  and  groaned  and  went  back  to 
sleep.  When  his  friend  had  finished  dressing  he  ran  to  the 
bed  and  pulled  the  man  out  of  bed.  He  stood  him  on  his 
feet  and  said:  “ The  house  is  on  fire!  Hurry!  hurry!  or 
you  will  be  burned  up.  The  man  as  he  was  turned  loose 
shot  back  into  his  bed  with  a moan  and  a groan,  and  went 
to  sleep  again.  And  the  next  day,  when  they  were  raking 
among  the  debris  of  the  building,  they  found  his  bones  all 
charred  and  burned.  And  many  a time  on  earth,  heaven 
seems  to  long  to  arouse  us  and  pull  us  away  from  our  sur- 
roundings and  stand  us  on  our  feet  and  cry  “ Fire  ! eternal 
fire  ! ” and  yet  there  we  stand,  and  at  last  among  sulphurous 
flames  and  eternal  perdition,  our  bones  lie  burned  and 
charred  forever.  Look  here,  friends,  if  we  wake  to-night, 
let  us  stand  up  like  men  and  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

A DEAD  PEACE. 

You  say,  “No,  I am  not  asleep.  I am  wide  awake.  I 
hear  it.  I not  only  hear  with  my  ear,  but  all  you  say 
js  ringing  through  the  chambers  of  my  soul ! ” Then  one 
more  question  and  we  come  to  God’s  answer. 

Is  it  because  a spiritual  apathy  has  taken  possession  of 
you  ? Is  it  because  a spiritual  peace — a peace  that  defies 
the  cannon,  that  walks  away  unmoved  from  God,  a peace 
that  means  the  certain,  awful  and  dreadful  death  of  the  soul; 


244 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


a peace  that  a man  gets  at  the  cannon’s  mouth  and  with  the 
sound  of  musketry  all  around  him,  a conquered  peace  that 
means  the  apathy  of  the  soul?  I will  illustrate  it. 

At  one  of  our  big  camp  meetings  in  Georgia,  Bishop 
Pierce  was  announced  to  preach  at  11  o’clock  on  Sunday 
morning — Bishop  Pierce,  whom  we  love  so  well,  and  whom 
we  believe  to  this  day  to  be  the  grandest  preacher  America 
has  ever  produced.  Tented  on  that  camping  ground  was  a 
good  woman,  or  rather,  her  husband  tented  there.  She  was 
a Christlike,  good  woman  ; her  husband  was  a wicked,  way- 
ward sinner  about  sixty  years  old.  He  tented  there  on  ac- 
count of  his  wife,  and  he  was  kind  and  clever  to  the  preach- 
ers and  to  all  the  guests  at  the  camp  meeting.  On  that 
special  occasion  the  old  man  brought  his  chair  out  and  took 
a seat  among  the  worshipers.  And  the  bishop  said  that 
when  he  stood  up  and  read  his  text  something  seemed  to 
say  to  him,  “ You  are  preaching  the  last  awakening  sermon  ' 
that  that  old  sinner  will  ever  hear.”  He  said  the  Spirit  of 
God  came  down  upon  him  and  seemed  to  turn  loose  all  the 
powers  of  his  nature.  He  poured  hot  grape  and  canister 
on  to  the  devoted  head  of  that  old  sinner. 

A VICTORY  FOR  SIN". 

And  there  he  sat  in  his  chair  and  turned  pale  and  red, 
and  at  times  he  would  turn  and  twist  in  his  chair  and  bite 
his  lip.  He  was  very  restless  during  the  whole  sermon, 
and  as  soon  as  the  bishop  sat  down  the  old  sinner  took  his ' 
chair,  went  to  his  tent,  fastened  the  front  door,  barred  the 
the  back  door,  and  shut  the  windows  and  fastened  them. 
When  his  wife  came  to  dinner  with  her  guests  she  knocked 
for  admittance.  The  only  answer  she  received  was  an  un- 
earthly groan  that  was  awful  to  listen  to.  She  looked 
through  a crack  in  the  window  and  saw  her  husband  pros- 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


245 


trate  in  the  straw  on  the  floor.  She  said  : “May  God  Al- 
mighty secure  a victory  over  my  poor  husband.  The  good 
Spirit  of  God  has  touched  his  heart.”  She  went  back  there 
at  three  o’clock  that  afternoon  and  the  battle  was  still  going 
on.  She  knocked  for  admission,  but  received  no  answer  ex- 
cept those  moans  and  groans.  She  went  back  at  midnight 
and  the  battle  was  still  going  on.  At  daylight  next  morn- 
ing that  battle  was  growing  hotter  and  thicker — a battle 
greater  in  its  results  than  Gettysburg  or  Waterloo  or  any 
other  battle  ever  fought  in  this  world — a battle  between 
God  and  an  immortal  spirit.  At  one  o’clock  in  the  after- 
noon, just  twenty-five  hours  after  he  shut  that  door,  he 
opened  it  again.  His  wife  was  standing  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  tent.  She  saw  the  tent  door  flew  open,  and  she  ran 
upon  the  wings  of  the  wind  to  embrace  her  converted  hus- 
band; but  when  she  went  up  to  him  the  cold  marble  look 
of  his  countenance  ana  the  rigid  frown  on  his  face  told  her 
that  he  had  conquered  the  Spirit  of  God.  But  it  took  him 
twenty-five  hours  to  do  it,  and  that  was  the  last  battle  that 
poor  old  man  ever  fought.  He  was  never  disturbed  any 
more.  And  I want  to  tell  every  man  here  that  you  have 
that  same  battle  to  fight  to-night  or  to  surrender  to  God. 
It  may  not  take  you  twenty-five  hours ; it  may  not  take 
you  twenty-five  minutes.  You  may  fight  God  and  conquer 
his  spirit  within  your  heart  in  twenty-five  seconds,  and  that 
will  be  the  last  battle  you  will  ever  fight  on  this  side 
of  eternity.  Oh,  me!  This  night  surrender,  if  in  your 
heart  there  has  stirred  the  wooings  and  warnings  of  God’s 
Holy  Spirit.  All  sin  will  be  forgiven  you  except  sinning 
successively  and  persistently  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
he  that  doth  this  shall  never  be  forgiven  in  this  world  or 
the  world  to  come. 

And  successively  sinning  against  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the 


246  • SAM  JONES5  SERMONS. 

lighting  of  it  for  the  last  time  out  of  your  heart  and  to  let 
him  leave  you  in  despair. 

THE  ANSWER  AND  THE  TEXT. 

Now,  the  answer  comes  right  here.  Listen,  my  friend. 
God  says  the  reason  a man  will  continue  on  m sin  is  this  : 

Because  sentence  against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedily, 
therefore,  the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set  m them  to  do  evil.— 
Ecclesiastes  viii,  2. 

That  is  to  say , because , the  sentence  or  punishment  for 
evil  is  delayed  ten  or  twenty  years  before  I am  damned  for 
it,  I will  just  sin  on. 

Here  is  the  proof.  Listen.  If  you  knew  that  immediately 
the  next  oath  crossed  your  lips  that  you  would  be  sent  into 
eternity,  you  know  you  would  never  swear  again.  If  you 
knew  that  the  next  time  the  intoxicating  cup  touched  your 
lips  your  sentence  would  be  immediately  pronounced,  you 
would  never  drink  again.  The  logic  of  sin  is  this  : “ Be- 

cause God  is  good  I will  sin  ; because  God  is  long-suffering 
I will  rebel  against  God,  and  I will  make  God’s  goodness  a 
reason  for  my  wickedness  and  God’s  long-suffering  an  . ex- 
cuse for  my  continued  crime.” 

Oh  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us  and  help  us  to  decide  it  here 
and  now.  u I will  never  sleep  another  moment  on  earth 
until  my  past  is  buried  in  the  precious  promise  of  God.  I 
am  going  to  look  out  for  my  soul  in  the  future.” 

Now  friends,  in  all  love  and  kindness,  if  you  would  make 
peace  with  God  and  get  to  Heaven,  how  many  of  you  who 
are  not  Christians  to-night  will  say,  “ I don’t  want  to  fight 
that  fight.  I wrant  to  surrender  to  God.” 

How  many  of  you,  young  and  old,  fathers  and  mothers, 
will  stand  up  where  you  are,  and  say,  by  standing  up,  “ I 
would  surrender  to  God  to-night  and  live  and  be  a Chris- 
tian”? Oh,  if  I were  there  in  your  place,  I would  be  the 


DO  NOT  DELAY  REPENTANCE. 


247 


first  one  to  stand  up ! Let  us  now  decide  to  make  our  peace 
witli  God,  and  call  a halt  in  our  course  of  sin.  (Several 
persons  rose  to  their  feet.) 

That  is  right.  Whoever  feels  like  saying,  “I  will  repent 
to-night,”  stand  up.  (More  rising.)  That  is  right,  my 
brother.  Do  not  be  ashamed  or  afraid.  Stand  np  in  the 
gallery,  in  the  dress  circle  or  anywhere.  Stand  up  all  over, 
you  who  feel  like  saying,  “ I want  to  repent  to-night.  I 
would  not  fight  God  out  of  my  heart.” 

A CALL  FOR  PENITENTS. 

And  now  I will  say  to  the  congregation  we  are  going  to 
have  an  after  service,  and  all  of  you  that  want  to  retire  do 
so.  Every  one  of  you  who  are  not  Christians  who  stood  up 
stay  with  us  and  come  to  the  front.  All  who  did  not  stand 
up,  and  are  not  Christians,  come  to  the  front,  and  may  God 
to-night  give  us  one  hundred  souls  for  Christ.  Oh,  friend, 
do  not  leave  here  if  you  are  not  a Christian ! I trust  to- 
night one  hundred  or  more  honest  penitents  will  come  and 
take  their  seats  in  front  here  and  tell  me,  “ I want  to 
know  God.” 

A good  many  were  converted  here  last  night,  and  a good 
many  in  the  church  to-day.  Now,  my -friends,  let  us  make 
our  peace  with  God,  and  it  will  be  the  grandest  night  in 
our  history. 

The  regular  services  closed  with  the  benediction,  but  the 
after  service  lasted  quite  a while,  local  ministers  and  other 
Christians  going  nobly  to  the  front  to  talk  to  those  who 
felt  a desire  for  a better  life,  and  had  made  up  their  minds 
to  walk  after  it. 


248 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


And  now  we  invite  your  attention  to  the  19th  verse  of 
the  11th  chapter  of  Proverbs : 

As  righteousness  tendeth  to  life,  so  he  that  pursueth  evil  pursueth  it  to 
his  own  death. 

When  a good  man  dies  he  not  only  goes  to  Heaven,  drawn 
thither  by  the  natural  fbrce  of  spiritual  gravity  and  by  the 
approval  of  God  and  angels,  but  when  a good  man  dies  he 
goes  to  Heaven  by  the  common  consent  of  all  intelligent 
beings  in  this  world.  When  a bad  man  dies  he  not  only 
goes  to  Hell,  drawn  thither  by  the  natural  force  of  spiritual 
gravity,  by  the  approval  of  God  and  angels,  but  when  a bad 
man  dies  he  goes  to  Hell  by  the  common  consent  of  every 
other  man  in  the  universe.  Did  you  ever  attend  the  funeral 
of  a good  man — one  that  was  known  and  read  of  all  men  as 
a good  man  ? Haven’t  you  sat  in  the  church  as  the  preacher 
said,  “Here  lies  the  body  of  our  brother,  and  his  spirit  is 
gone  home  to  God  to  live  forever  with  the  angels haven’t 
you  gone  out  of  the  church  and  heard  saint  and  sinner  both 
say,  “That’s  the  truth  ! That  good  man  has  gone  home  to 
Heaven  . That  preacher  told  the  truth  when  he  said  that 
good  man  has  gone  home  to  God!”  Haven’t  you  heard 
that  in  conversation  on  the  street,  saint  and  sinner  both 
speaking  it  out  ? Did  you  ever  attend  a funeral  of  a differ- 
ent character,  one  of  these  members  of  the  church,  may  be? 
that  don’t  live  right,  and  haven’t  you  heard  the  preacher 
stand  up  and  say,  “Here  lies  our  brother’s  body  and  he  has 
gone  home  to  Heaven,”  and  then  seen  hundreds  of  heads 
begin  to  shake  in  a moment,  and  then  you  walk  out  on  the 
street  and  saint  and  sinn'er  both  say,  “ The*  preacher  out- 
raged every  principle  of  truth,  and  I’ll  never  hear  him 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL.  2 4, 

preach  again.  He  knows  that  man  hasn’t  gone  to  Heaven? 
and  we  know  it,  and  everybody  else  knows  it.” 

NO  PREACHING  INTO  HEAVEN. 

Oh,  my  brother ! This  old  world  won’t  let  a preacher  preach 
a bad  man  into  Heaven,  and  this  old  world  won’t  let  a 
preacher  preach  a good  man  into  Hell.  I have  found  that 
out.  And  the  preacher’s  words  don’t  go  with  us  into 
Heaven  or  to  Hell.  If  a man  is  in  Heaven  at  all  he  is  there 
long  before  the  preacher  takes  his  text,  and  if  a fellow  is  in 
Hell  he  is  there  long  before  the  preacher  takes  his  text, 
and  the  preacher  can  not  preach  a fellow  into  Heaven  or  Hell. 
They  are  down  there  before  he  takes  his  text,  to  one  place 
or  the  other.  It  is  all  foolishness,  and  a great  deal  of  harm 
is  done  in  this  world  by  preachers  taking  a false  position  on 
this  point.  And  I’ll  tell  you  how.  If  your  husband  didn’t 
live  right  and  your  children  didn’t  live  right'and  your  mother 
didn’t  live  right,  I am  the  last  man  in  the  world  you  ought 
ever  to  get  to  funerahze,  for  I tell  the  truth — when  I am 
talking  to  the  living  I tell  the  truth,  because  I can’t  harm  the 
dead  by  telling  the  truth. 

As  righteousness  tencleth  to  life. 

Oh,  my  brother!  the  path  of  the  just  is  as  a shining  light, 
shining  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day.  A good  man’s 
tendency  is  upward  and  onward  and  higher  and  higher. 
Oh,  brother!  the  good  man  has  the  promise  of  the  life  that 
now  is  and  everlasting  life  in  the  world  to  come.  And 
just  so  sure  as  goodness  and  righteousness  leadeth  to  life 
hereafter,  just  so 

He  that  pursueth  evil  pursueth  it  to  his  death. 

Really,  I don’t  need,  as  I have  said  before,  any  Bible  to 
teach  me  that  sin  will  kill,  that  sin  will  doom,  that  sin  will  de- 
stroy, I don’t  need  any  Bible  on  that  point.  I never  saw  a 
poor,  staggering  drunkard  but  what  I looked  in  his  face  and 


250 


SAM  JONES5  SERMONS* 


said:  “ Oh,  Lord  God,  sin  is  ruining  that  man  and  sin  is  kill- 
ing that  man  and  sin  will'  damn  that  man.55  I never  saw  a 
poor,  pale,  ruined  woman  halting  along  the  streets  of  the 
city  that  I didn’t  look  at  her  poor,  tottering  form  and  say : 
“ Sin  has  ruined  that  woman  and  sin  is  dooming  that  woman 
and  sin  is  disgracing  that  woman  and  sin  will  eventually 
damn  that  woman.55  No,  sir.  No,  sir.  I don’t  need  any 
Bible  to  teach  me  that  sin  will  ruin  human  beings ; that  sin 
is  death  to  the  body  and  death  to  the  soul. 

THE  PURSUIT  OF  EVIL. 

He  that  pursueth  evil  pursueth  it  to  his  own  death. 

The  full  idea  expressed  here,  the  real  idea  expressed 
here,  is  this : The  natural  tendencies  of  men  are  evil,  and 
all  a man  need  to  do  in  order  to  be  doomed  here  and  damned 
hereafter,  is  just  to  follow  the  bent,  the  inclinations,  of  his 
own  heart  and  ways.  Sin  is  a disease.  It  is  a leprosy.  It 
is  a cancer  of  the  soul.  I took  up  a newspaper  some  months 
ago  and  I read  that  Senator  Hill,  of  Georgia,— Senator  Ben- 
jamin H.  Hill — had  a little  trouble,  as  was  said,  with  his 
tongue,  and  they  made  light  of  it  and  said  it  was  caused  by 
a fractured  tooth.  A few  days  after  that  I took  up  a secu- 
lar paper  and  I read  that  Senator  Hill  was  under  the  sur- 
geon’s knife  at  Philadelphia  and  that  they  had  taken  out  about 
one  third  of  his  tongue.  And  they  said:  u It  will  all  heal 
up  and  he  will  be  well  in  a few  days.”  Well,  a few 
days  more  and  I picked  up  the  paper  again  and  it  said: 
“ Senator  Hill  is  back  under  the  surgeon’s  knife  at  Phila- 
delphia,” and  how  the  doctor  had  cut  all  the  glands  out  of 
the  side  of  his  face  and  neck.  Then  young  Ben  Hill  turned 
to  the  doctor  and  said : u Now,  sir,  will  my  father  get 
well?”  The  surgeon  said  : uIf  we  have  extracted  the  last 
particle  of  virus — this  virus  of  cancer — from  his  system,  he 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


251 


will  certainly  get  well,  but  if  there’s  the  least  particle -of 
that  virus  of  cancer  left  in  his  system  it  will  stray  off  to 
some  other  gland  and  start  a second  cancer.” 

THE  VIRUS  OF  SIN. 

The  next  I heard  of  Senator  Hill  was  that  he  was  at  the 
famous  springs  in  the  West.  I walked  down  to  the  depot 
of  my  town  one  day  that  I happened  to  be  at  home,  and 
when  I walked  down  to  the  train  the  passenger  train  rolled 
down  all  trembling  under  its  air  brakes,  and  stopped.  I 
I looked  toward  the  car,  and  I thought  I saw  what  was  the 
outline  of  Senator  Hill’s  face.  I walked  on  down  toward 
the  car,  and  he  pushed  his  bony  hand  out  of  the  car  and  took 
mine,  and  I looked  in  his  face  and  said  : “ My  Lord ! is  this 

all  that  is  left  of  Senator  Hill,  the  grandest  man  that  Geor- 
gia ever  produced?  ” And  I looked  at  the  poor  fellow,  and 
a few  days  after  that  I took  up  the  Atlanta  Constitution 
and  read : “ The  grandest  procession  that  ever  marched  out 
of  Atlanta  marched  out  yesterday  and  buried  Senator  Hill 
out  of  the  sight  of  men.” 

And  I want  to  tell  to  this  congregation  to-night,  just  as 
certain  as  the  virus  of  cancer  killed  Senator  Hill’s  body,  just 
as  certain  the  virus  of  sin  will  kill  your  soul  at  last.  And  it 
isn’t  a question  of  how  you  have  been  baptized.  It  is  not  a 
question  of  what  church  you  belong  to.  The  only  question 
for  time  and  eternity  with  every  mortal  man  is  this  : Has 
this  virus  of  sin  been  extracted  from  my  soul  ? 

Oh,  thank  God.  Eighteen  hundred  years  before  I was 
born,  the  old  world  began  to  sing  : 

There  is  a fountain  filled  with  blood 
Drawn  from  Immanuel’s  veins, 

And  sinners  plunged  beneath  that  flood 
Lose  all  their  guilty  stains. 


252 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 
That  fountain  in  his  day, 

And  there  may  I — 

Thank  God — 

And  there  may  I 
Though  vile  as  he. 

Wash  all  my  sins  away. 

STABS  AT  CONSCIENCE. 

Blessed  be  God,  at  this  fountain  opened  np  in  the  house 
of  David,  for  uncleanness,  the  world  has  been  washing 
away  its  guilt  for  thousands  of  years.  And  here,  to-night, 
we  bid  all  ye  wretched,  ye  hungry,  ye  starving,  ye  de- 
bauched, ye  degraded,  ye  unclean  men,  I bid  you,  you,  to 
come  to  the  living  fountain  and  drink,  and  never  be  ill  or 
thirsty  again. 

Oh,  brother,  is  that  virus  of  sin  in  your  soul  ? 

Nothing  but  the  blood, 

Nothing  but  the  blood, 

Can  wash  my  sins  away. 

Every  sin  of  a man’s  life  is  a direct  stab  at  his  conscience 
When  men  start  in  sin  and  sin  on  and  on,  there  comes  a 
time  by  and  by  when  their  conscience  is  honeycombed  with 
the  stabs  of  sin  and  it  expires  and  breathes  its  last  and  the 
man  walks  through  life  without  a conscience  at  all. 

Oh,  conscience  ! that  reigning  principle  in.  my  bosom  that 
speaks  out  when  wrong  presents  itself,  and  thunders  out 
against  wrong  ; that  something  in  me  that  approves  the 
right.  And  every  sin  of  my  life  is  a stab  at  my  conscience, 
and  by  and  by  I make  the  last  fatal  stab  and  conscience  is 
dead  forever. 

Will  you  let  me  say,  my  congregation  to-night,  that  the 
great  trouble  with  the  world  to-day  is  that  conscience  is  stabbed 
to  death.  Why,  do  you  tell  me  that  this  government  in 
this  State  and  this  municipality  here  would  be  run  like  it  is 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


253 


if  conscience  was  alive?  No,  sir  ! National  conscience  is 
dead!  If  a man  goes  into  a credit  mobilier  or  any  other 
job  in  this  country  and  filches  from  the  government  a few 
hundred  thousand  or  a few  million  dollars  he  is  dubbed 
“ Colonel  ” and  sent  to  the  United  States  Senate,  and  con- 
sidered one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  America  ! But  if  a 
poor  negro  steals  a dollar  to  buy  him  bread,  he  spends  a 
lonely,  weary  time  in  jail  and  in  the  chain  gang.  What  is 
the  matter  ? Conscience  is  dead !.  (Great  laughter.) 

CONSCIENCE  IS  DEAD. 

Conscience  is  dead  ! That’s  all.  Oh,  my  fellow-citizens, 
let  me  say  to  you  to-night  that  the  trouble  with  this  country 
is  that  the  national  conscience  is  dead,  and  individual  con- 
science is  dead,  and  the  church’s  conscience  is  dead,  and  thus 
we  are  marching  on, 

Tramp ! tramp ! tramp ! 

The  boys  are  marching, 

without  conscience,  and  without  the  saving  power  of  con- 
science to  check  them. 

Ah,  me  ! Look  at  St.  Louis  ! And  I want  to  tell  you 
right  now  that  a Christian  man  can  not  patronize  the  thea- 
ters in  this  town.  Why?  The  day  that  a Christian  man 
consecrates  to  God,  he  can  go  to  the  play  that  he  was  at  on 
Friday  night,  and  see  the  same  company  desecrate  God’s 
Sabbath  on  Sunday  night  in  the  same  house  that  he  sat  and 
saw  the  play  on  Friday  night!  And  do  you  tell  me  that  a 
Christian  with  a live  conscience  will  look  on  a thing  on  Fri- 
day night  and  go  to  see  a play  on  that  same  stage  on  which 
that  same  crowd  are  going  to  desecrate  the  Sabbath  and 
violate  God’s  law  ? No,  sir.  A Christian  man  with  a live 
conscience  can  not  patronize  an  institution  of  that  sort.  And 
if  I had  nothing  in  God  Almighty’s  world  against  the  the- 


254 


SAM  JONES  SERMONS. 


ater,  I say  I am  down  on  any  crowd  that  can  not  make  a 
living  six  days  in  the  week  and  have  to  rush  o ver  on  God’s 
Sabbath  and  desecrate  that  day  to  make  a living ! Iam 
down  on  that  sort  of  a crowd  ! (Applause.) 

DOWN"  ON  THE  THEATERS. 

They  say  I am  down  on  the  theaters ; but,  God  bless  you, 
if  they  will  make  the  theaters  as  good  as  the  church — and 
that  would  not  be  hard  to  do  (applause) — it  would  not;  that 
ain’t  asking  much  of  them — it.  ain’t.  (Laughter.)  I pledge 
you  my  word  whenever  theaters  will  keep  the  ten  com- 
mandments I will  stand  up  and  advocate  them.  But  I am 
down  on  them  as  long  as  they  are  down  on  the  ten  com- 
mandments. (Applause.)  Do  you  understand  that  ? They 
are  growling  mightily  on  my  track.  The  theatrical  compa- 
nies say  they  would  rather  run  against  the  devil  than  Sam 
Jones  (laughter  and  applause),  and  they  are  down  on  me. 
One  of  the  leading  theatrical  gentlemen  just  from  a southern 
tour,  said  : “ I tell  you,  a theatrical  crowd  better  keep  clear 
of  Sam  Jones’  track,  for  I’ll  tell  you,  you  can  not  make  salt 
where  he  has  been.”  I like  that.  (Laughter.)  I want  to 
cut  a canal  through  the  whole  business  and  ditch  it  off  and 
sun  it  awhile  and  make  it  decent.  (Applause.)  And  no 
theater-man  nor  no  theater-goer  need  say  one  word  to  me 
about  holding  up — u don’t  denounce  us” — until  they  keep 
the  ten  commandments,  and  when  they  do  that  I will  bow 
to  them  politely  and  say,  “ Gentlemen,  I sheath  my  sword 
and  I will  never  hit  you  again.”  But  I am  going  to  fight 
anything  that  breaks  the  ten  commandments.  I am  stand- 
ing by  these  ten  commandments,  and  I am  going  to  die  by 
these  ten  commandments. 

TRAFFICKING  WITH  EVIL. 

The  conscience  of  this  city  is  dead.  Don’t  you  know 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


255 


whenever  St.  Louis  says,  “ You  shan’t  sell  whisky  here  in  this 
town,”  don’t  you  know  it  has  got  to  get  out  of  here  ? Don’t 
you  know  that?  And  I will  tell  you  another  thing.  We 
members  of  the  church  will  stand  around  here  and  curse 
bar-keepers — in  a pious  way  I mean — and  abuse  bar-keepers 
and  abuse  saloons.  Now  let  me  tell  you.  Every  citizen  of 
this  town  walks  up  to  the  bar-keeper  and  pats  him  on  the 
shoulder  and  says,  “ We’ll  license  you  if  you  will  divide 
with  us.”  Now,  ain’t  that  saying,  “ If  you  will  pay  us  taxes 
for  selling  it,  to  fix  up  the  streets  and  keep  the  town  going 
— if  you  will  divide  with  me” — that’s  it — “ we’ll  pat  you 
on  the  back  and  protect  you.”  (Applause.)  Ain’t  that  so? 
“If  you  will  slip  $200  a year  in  this  pocket  here  to  help  fix 
up  the  street  leading  to  the  church,  wre  will  license  you,  pat 
you  on  the  back,  protect  you,  and  we’ll  tell  our  preacher 
to  shut  his  mouth — £ Don’t  you  open  your  mouth.”  ’ Ain’t 
that  so  ? (turning  to  the  ministers  on  the  stage.)  I don’t 
know  whether  they  ever  told  you  preachers  to  shut  your 
mouth  or  not,  but  you  have  done  it  voluntarily  if  they  didn’t 
make  you  do  it.  (Laughter  and  applause.) 

THE  BAR-KEEPERS  ARE  GENTLEMEN. 

I want  to  say  to  St.  Louis  to-night  that  the  bar-keepers 
and  saloon-keepers  are  the  gentlemen  and  St.  Louis  is  the 
vagabond!  Now,  what  do  you  say?  The  bar-keeper  is 
selling  it  to  get  a little  money  to  feed  his  wife  and  chiidren, 
and  you  all  are  letting  him  sell  it  if  he  will  give  you  part  of 
the  money  to  fix  up  your  streets.  Ain’t  that  the  way  it  is 
going?  The  Lord  have  mercy  upon  us!  And  this  is  just 
the  way  it  is  standing  in  this  country.  And  I will  tell  you  if 
the  Lord  Almighty  will  come  down  to-night  and  rake  and 
dig  the  dirt  off  our  consciences  where  they  are  dead  and 
buried,  and  if  he  will  burst  the  tombstones  off  of  them  and 


256 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


dig  them  out  of  the  ground,  and  tear  the  grave  clothes  off 
of  our  consciences  and  let  them  walk  the  streets  of  this  town 
one  day,  we’ll  revolutionize  this  town  in  one  week  so  that  a 
familiar  friend  would  not  recognize  it.  (Applause.)  That’s 
the  truth. 

Conscience  ! Conscience  ! Do  you  want  to  know  why  I 
think  your  conscience  is  dead,  brother?  You  don’t  pray  in 
your  family ; you  don’t  attend  your  prayer-meeting ; you 
don’t  do  anything  scarcely  that  a Christian  ought  to  do,  and 
you  say,  u I feel  all  right.”  (Laughter.)  The  old  fool 
don’t  know  the  difference  between  feeling  all  right  and  not 
feeling  at  all — that’s  what  is  hurting  him.  (Laughter.) 
And  I will  tell  you  it  takes  a philosopher  to  go  in  there  and 
tell  the  difference,  too.  A dead  man  feels  as  good -as  any 
body  (laughter),  but  he  doesn’t  feel  at  all.  (Renewed 
laughter.) 

CONSCIENCE  AND  POLITICS. 

Conscience ! Conscience ! As  soon  as  we  got  the  con- 
science of  Atlanta  aroused  we  put  whisky  out  of  Atlanta^ 
and  they  may  file  a hundred  bills  of  injunctions,  but,  mark 
what  I tell  you ! When  the  majority  of  the  people  of  a 
town  say  a thing  can't  be  did,  it  ain’t  going  to  be  did — that’s 
all.  (Laughter  and  applause.)  The  majority  in  this  coun- 
try rules.  And  when  a fellow  don’t  like  to  live  in  a coun- 
try where  the  majority  rules,  then  he  can  emigrate,  and  I’ll 
buy  him  an  emigrant’s  ticket  any  day  he  wants  to  go. 
(Laughter.) 

Talk  about  sumptuary  laws,  I will  tell  you.  I was  born 
a Democrat  and  raised  a Democrat,  and  never  voted  any- 
thing but  a Democratic  ticket,  but  if  they  try  to  ram  sump- 
tuary laws  down  my  throat  in  the  shape  of  a barrel  and  a 
demijohn,  I ain't  a Democrat — it’s  a lie.  I’ll  die  first.  (Great 
applause). 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


257 


THE  NIGGER  BETTER  THAN  WHISKY. 

And  I’ll  tell  you  another  thing.  When  you  look  for  the 
Democratic  party  to  come  down  the  road  you  can  clear  the 
way.  You  will  see  a governor  astraddle  of  a whisky  barrel 
and  all  the  other  little  Democratic  politicians  riding  demi- 
johns right  down  the  road — that’s  the  way  they  have  got 
the  thing  in  this  country.  (Laughter  and  applause). 

And  I told  them  some  time  ago — said  I:  “ You  bring  up 
your  two  parties  now — the  Radical  party  running  on  the 
nigger  and  the  Democrats  on  whisky — that’s  about  the  way 
the  thing  stands  now — and  they  say,  ‘ Now  if  you  are  a 
good  Democrat  just  swallow  this  candidate  and  this  barrel 
down;’  then  if  you  ain’t  a good  Democrat  you  are  a Repub- 
lican. You  have  got  to  swallow  this  man  here  and  a 
darkey’ — you  are  obliged  to  swallow  one  or  the  other.”  I 
will  look  at  the  two.  Now,  there’s  the  Democrat  and  his 
whisky,  and  here  is  the  Radical  and  his  nigger,  and  I say  : 
“Have  I got  to  gulp  down  one  or  the  other?”  “Yes.” 
“Well,”  I will  say,  “one  bottle  of  whisky — one  might  have 
done  me  more  harm  than  all  the  niggers  in  the  Southern 
States,”  and  I will  say:  “You  just  pin  that  fellow’s  ears 
back  and  grease  him  and  down  he  goes.”  (Great  applause 
again  and  again  renewed.) 

UNWISE  PARTY  LOYALTY. 

That’s  just  my  honest  sentiments  about  it.  And  I despise 
this  miserable  loyalty  to  party  that  takes  the  party  lash  and 
whips  me  into  voting  for  anybody.  I don’t  care  who  he  is 
or  what  the  party  is  that  nominates  him.  God  Almighty! 
Raise  the  conscience  of  America  from  the  dead  and  let  us 
not  ask  whether  he  is  this  or  that,  but  “ Is  he  a pure,  good 
man  and  will  he  do  right  in  office  ? ” (Great  applause.) 

1 7 


258 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


That  is  it ! I will  never  vote  for  a drunkard,  nor  a gambler, 
nor  a debauchee,  I dont’t  care  who  nominates  him.  Never! 
I have  got  too  much  conscience  for  that. 

Conscience ! And  we  have  sinned  and  sinned  until  con- 
science is  stabbed  to  death,  and  we  are  a good  deal  like  the 
fellow  that  said  when  he  first  joined  the  church  any  little 
thing  he  done  wrong  nearly  killed  him,  but  he  says : “ I?ve 
got  so  now  I can  steal  a horse  and  it  don’t  bother  me  at  all.” 
(Laughter.)  And  that’s  just  about  the  way  we  are  going  in 
this  country  now — every  fellow’s  conscience  dead  ; and  he 
can’t  see  any  harm  in  this  or  any  harm  in  that  or  any  harm 
in  the  other.  Almighty  God  ! arouse  our  conscience  and 
bring  it  to  life  once  more.  We  have  stabbed  it  to  death, 
and  here  we  are  to-night  quibbling  over  this  thing  or  that 
thing  or  the  other  thing.  Instead  of  drawing  our  swords 
and  battling  for  the  right,  and  daring  to  do  the  right,  we 
are  wincing  and  whining  around  and  saying,  “I  don’t  see  any 
harm  in  this,  and  I don’t  see  any  harm  in  that.” 

Good  Lord ! let  conscience  come  up  from  the  grave,  and 
then  you  can  see  the  line  just  as  clearly  as  you  can  see  the 
sun  at  midday  in  its  brightest  shining. 

CLOSING  ST.  LOUIS  SALOONS  ON  SUNDAY. 

Conscience ! Whenever  you  get  the  conscience  of  St. 
Louis  alive  you  are  going  to  stop  these  Sunday  theaters 
here,  and  you  are  going  to  stop  a heap  of  devilment  that  is 
going  on  here  on  Sunday  ; you  are  going  to  close  up  these 
saloons  on  Sunday.  And  I will  say  another  thing;  If  I 
was  a betting  man  and  there  wasn’t  any  harm  in  betting,  I’d 
stake  all  I could  raise  on  saying  that  twelve  months  from 
to-day  you  will  witness  the  last  saloon  open  on  Sunday  in 
this  city.  (Applause.) 

I am  down  on  any  crowd  that  is  so  greedy  they  ain’t 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


259 


willing  to  pour  damnation  down  a follow’s  throat  six  days  in 
a week  and  quit  with  that.  I am.  They  are  the  greediest 
men  I ever  saw,  if  they  ain’t  willing  to  compromise  on  six 
days’  work  to  put  in  for  hell  and  damnation  a week.  That 
ought  to  satisfy  any  fellow. 

Conscience!  Conscience!  Conscience!  I know  you  will 
say  I am  a fanatic.  You  know  the  difference  between  a 
fanatic  and  one  of  your  sort  sitting  back  there — one’s  con- 
science is  dead  and  buried,  and  the  other  has  got  a live  con- 
science ; and  it  don’t  take  a live  conscience  long  to  make  a 
fanatic  out  of  a fellow.  That’s  true.  I found  that  out. 

Conscience ! Every  sin  of  my  life  is  a direct  stab  at  my 
conscience,  and  stab  after  stab  the  blows  are  given,  until 
conscience  gasps  and  breathes  its  last,  and  now  the  man  can  do 
anything  in  the  world,  and  he  can  see  no  harm  in  anything 
in  the  world. 

DEADENED  SENSIBILITIES. 

Conscience ! But  it  does  its  work  on.  He  that  pursueth 
evil  pursueth  it  to  the  death  of  his  sensibilities.  The  nat- 
ural tendency  of  sin  is  to  dry  up  the  fountain  of  a man’s 
sensibilities.  Oh,  me!  There  are  men  here  to-night  that 
could  not  shed  a tear  if  they  could  get  a kingdom  for  a 
single  tear — all  the  sensibilities  of  their  nature  dried  up; 
and  you  might  just  as  well  preach  to  a dead  man  as  to  preach 
to  him.  Why,  he  says  all  emotional  flow  and  all  emotional 
feeling  and  all  concerning  liis  sensibilities  is  'dead  long  ago. 

Oh,  my  God ! JPity  a man  that  has  stabbed  his  sensibili- 
ties to-  death,  and  has  no  feeling  about  his  immortal  interests. 

And,  then,  he  that  pursueth  evil  not  only  kills  conscience 
and  stabs  sensibility  to  death,  but  he  goes  on  at  his  work, 
and  then,  he  that  pursueth  evil  pursueth  it  to  the  death  of 
his  powers  of  resistance. 


26o 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


THE  STOPPING  POWER. 

You  see  that  throttle  and  that  engineer’s  hand  on  it,  and 
you  see  that  engine  rolling  at  the  rate  of  fifty  miles  an  hour, 
with  an  impulse  almost  omnipotent!  The  greatest  power 
of  this  nineteenth  century  is  the  throttle-valve  of  an  engine. 
Hext  to  that  greatest  power  is  the  lever  of  those  air-brakes 
— the  stopping  power.  The  first  is  the  go-ahead  power,  the 
next  greatest  power  is  the  stopping  power. 

I was  sitting  on  an  engine  some  months  ago  with  a friend, 
and  as  we  sat  there  talking  I saw  ahead.  Said  I : “ Look  at 
those  cattle  on  the  track!”  We  were  rolling  forty-odd 
miles  an  hour.  He  just  took  hold  of  the  lever  of  his  air- 
brake and  turned  it  around,  and  slapped  on  every  brake  on 
every  wheel  and  blew  his  whistle,  and  gave  the  cattle  time 
to  clear  the  track ; and  but  for  that  brake-power  that  day, 
those  cattle  might  have  ditched  that  train  and  killed  half 
the  men  on  it.  The  power  to  stop ! The  power  to  stop! 

WHEN  THE  BRAKE  WON’T  WORK. 

I believe  it  was  on  the  Baltimore  & Ohio  Railroad  that 
some  months  ago  a passenger  engineer  pulled  his  great  long 
passenger  train  of  thirteen  cars,  seven  passenger  coaches 
and  four  sleepers,  heavily  up  a steep  grade,  until  he  reached 
a tunnel.  When  he  ran  out  of  the  tunnel  he  pulled  out  his 
watch  and  saw  that  he  was  an  hour  behind  time.  He  had 
thirteen  miles  of  down-grade,  to  the  river,  and  he  shoved 
his  lever  forward  and  pulled  his  throttle  open,  and  that  en- 
gine commenced  to  roll  and  thunder  down  that  grade  until 
she  reached  a speed  of  sixty  miles  an  hour.  Down  that 
grade,  and  on  and  on  she  rolled,  with  every  pound  of  steam 
thrown  against  her  piston-heads,  until  she  rolled  within  a 
mile  of  the  bridge  across  the  river.  When  he  reached  that 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


26l 


point  he  shut  the  steam  oft,  and  turned  the  ]ever  of  the  air- 
brakes, but  they  were  out  of  fix.  He  instantly  awoke  to  a 
consciousness  of  his  peril,  and  said:  “I  am  within  a mile  of 
the  river,  with  a speed  of  sixty-seven  miles  an  hour,  and  my 
air-brakes  out  of  fix.”  Then  he  'reached  out  and  caught 
his  wliistle-lever  and  whistled  a fearful  blast,  that  called  for 
“ down-brakes.”  The  brakeman  ran  to  the  car  door  and 
stood  there.  The  car  was  jumping  and  pitching  and  toss- 
ing, and  the  brakeman  said : “ It  is  certain  death  for  me  to 
walk  cut  on  that  platform  to  those  brakes.”  The  engineer 
felt  his  train  rolling  on  with  an  increased  impulse,  and  he 
reached  out  again  and  caught  hold  of  the  whistle-lever,  and 
again  with  fearful  blast  called  for  “ down-brakes.”  And  the 
captain,  the  conductor,  ran  up  to  the  rear  end  of  the  car 
where  the  brakeman  stood,  and  said : “ Go  out  and  put  on 
those  brakes.  Don’t  you  see  that  we  are  near  the  bridge  ? The 
engineer  has  whistled  for  down-brakes.”  The  brakeman  said : 
“Captain,  we  can  not  go  out  on  that  platform.  It  is  certain 
death  to  go  out  there.  We  can  not  stand  here  in  the  car.” 
And*  on  and  on  the  train  rolled  and  soon  swept  on  to  the 
bridge.  The  first,  second,  third,  fourth,  fifth,  sixth  and 
seventh  cars  rolled  onto  the  bridges,  but  the  first  sleeper 
swung  too  far  out  to  the  left  and  struck  the  bridge,  and  the 
four  sleepers  were  hurled  into  the  river  below  and  swept 
into  eternity.  What  was  the  matter  ? The  brakes  would 
not  work,  that  is  all.  And  I tell  you  here  to-night,  in  St. 
Louis  there  are  10,000,  20,000  men  that  have  pulled  to  the 
top  of  the  grade  and  have  started  down  and  down,  and  on 
and  on  they  roll  to-day,  and  every  brake  on  their  nature  is 
gone  forever.  [Sensation.] 

POOR  BOB  HERRICK. 

Poor  Bob  Herrick,  at  home,  a good-natured,  kind-hearted 
man  he  was,  with  a pleading  wife  and  against  the  advice  of 


2 62 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


physicians,  drinking  on  and  on!  And  now  he  is  on  his 
dying  bed  and  he  is  surrounded  by  friendjs.  It  took  four 
men  to  hold  him  on  his  dying  couch  and  when  the  last  lucid 
moment  came  he  said,  “ Doctor,  is  there  any  chance  for  my 
poor  life  ? ” “ No,  Bob,”  he  replied.  “ If  you  drink  you 
will  die  and  if  you  don’t  drink  you  will  die.”  And  two 
hours  after  poor  Bob  foundered  on  the  rocks  of  damnation, 
with  his  wife  and  children  clinging  around  his  neck.  Gone  ! 
gone  ! gone ! gone  forever  ! 

There  are  men,  perhaps,  listening  to  me  to-night  who  will 
never  stop  cursing,  who  will  never  stop  drinking.  You 
will  die  with  an  oath  on  your  lips.  God  pity  the  man  that 
has  reached  that  point  when  he  has  said,  “ I can  not  quit! 
I can  not  quit.”  It  would  seem  that  God  had  stricken  such 
poor  wretches  with  judicial  impotency.  Oh,  my  friend,  to- 
night let  ns  put  the  brakes  on  our  nature  and  say,  “ I will 
quit ! I will  quit ! I will  drink  no  more  ! I have  drunk 
my  last  drop.  I have  sworn  my  last  oath.”  Let  you  and  I 
settle  that  once  and  forever,  and  say,  “ God  being  my  judge 
I will  quit  to-niglit.”  You  have  no  more  time  to  throw 
away.  You  need  not  catch  up  any  more  momentum.  No, 
the  momentum  some  of  you  have  will  run  you  on  and  on 
until  you  make  the  final  leap  and  you  are  gone  forever. 
Your  appetite  for  whisky  could  not  be  any  stronger.  The 
appetite  of  your  lustful  nature  is  such  that  you  are  de- 
bauched from  head  to  foot  now.  On  and  on  men  go  until 
they  awake  to  a realization  of  their  doom  and  say  : “ I am 

rolling  on  with  a momentum  that  frightens  me.  Every 
brake  is  removed  from  my  machine.  I am  doomed,  and 
I am  certain  I will  be  damned  at  last.” 

THE  LAST  SLACKING  UP. 

Look  here,  friend;  let  us  stop  to-night.  I tell  you  I verily 


PURSUE  NOT  EVJL. 


263 


believe  that  if  I had  not  stopped  at  my  father’s  dying 
couch  fourteen  years  ago,  I believe  that  was  my  last  slack- 
ing up.  I believe  that  if  I had  not  then  said,  “ Father! 
father!  I speak  it  from  the  depths  of  my  nature,  I have 
quit — I am  done  forever” — I believe  right  then  and  there 
that  was  my  only  chance  to  stop  and  recover  myself.  And, 
blessed  be  God,  I made  that  stop.  Blessed  be  God!  there 
was  a turning-table  right  there,  and  on  that  turning-tabie  I 
rolled  my  engine,  and  turned  round,  and  I am  rolling  the 
other  way  to-night,  I trust  with  a momentum  that  will 
sweep  me  into  the  kingdom  of  God  by  and  by. 

And  he  that  pursueth  evil  pursueth  it  to  the  death  of  his 
intellect  and  his  reason.  I believe  that  men  sin  against  their 
intellect  until  they  get  to  a point  where  their  minds  will  no 
more  grasp  Scriptural  truth  than  they  can  make  a world. 
In  Georgia,  in  my  own  State,  in  one  of  the  towns  there,  a 
lawyer  of  great  legal  ability  would  come  out  and  hear  me 
every  time  I preached  there  and  shake  hands  with  me.  On 
one  occasion  I met  him  the  next  day,  and  he  said : “I  like 
to  hear  you  preach.  You  seem  to  be  candid  and  honest, 
but  the  Gospel  you  preach  is  the  veriest  nonsense  in  the 
world  to  me.  I can  see  nothing  in  it.”  Oh  me,  brother, 
the  poor  old  fellow  has  sinned  until  a lie  seemed  to  be  the 
truth  to  him  and  the  truth  a lie,  and  I verily  believe  a man  can 
so  distort  his  mind  and  becloud  his  intellect  until  he  can  not 
grasp  a Scriptural  truth  as  easy  as  he  can  make  a world. 
Oh,  friends,  let  us  stop  to-night ! God  pity  the  man  that 
debauches  his  intellect  and  rolls  on  and  on  and  on. 

A$d  then  lastly,  and  I will  be  through  in  a word  or  two : 

He  that  pursueth  evil  pursueth  it  to  the  death  of  his  own  soul. 

Oh  me,  I can  understand  you  when  you  say  a man  has 
sinned  his  conscience  to  death,  has  sinned  his  sensibilities  to 
death,  and  destroyed  his  power  of  resistance,  and  sinned  his 


264 


SAM  JONES'  SERMONS. 


reason  away  ; but,  oh.,  sir,  when  you  tell  me  that  sin  will 
kill  the  soul,  when  it  comes  to  the  death  of  the  soul,  then  I 
stagger  back  and  am  lost  in  wonder  and  in  dread.  The 
death  of  the  soul ! Take  these  two  words,  u Death  ” “ eter- 
nal,” “ Eternal  ” “ death.”  Both  of  these  words  are  the 
most  dreadful  in  our  language,  but  coupled  together,  0I1  what 
a compound  ! Eternal  death,  Death  eternal ! What  does 
it  mean  ? The  death  of  the  soul ! The  death  of  the  soul ! 

DEATH  OF  THE  BODY. 

The  death  of  the  body.  I see  this  body.  I have  walked 
up  to  the  dying  couch  of  a friend  and  stood  over  him  as 
death  was  doing  its  work  on  his  body.  I have  watched  him 
closer  and  closer  as  death  came  upon  him.  I watched  him 
to  the  point  where  there  was  a glare  in  his  eye  and  a twitch- 
ing in  the  muscles  of  his  face  and  a jerking  in  his  nerves  and 
a heaving  in  his  bosom,  and  then  I walked  off  and  shut  my 
eyes  and  said : “ Oh,  death,  how  cruel  thou  art  to  that 

loved  friend  ! I have  gone  back  and  put  my  hand  s on  him 
and  he  has  had  the  same  glare  in  his  eyes,  the  same  heaving, 
of  the  bosom,  the  same  jerking  of  the  nerves,  the  same 
twitching  of  the  muscles  : and  Hooked  and  went  away  again 
and  say  : Temporal  death  is  not  eternal  death.” 

And  then  I ask  : “ Eternal  death,  what  is  it  ? Oh,  does 

it  mean  an  everlasting  glare  of  the  eye  ? Is  it  an  everlast- 
ing jerking  of  the  muscles?  Is  it  an  everlasting  twitching 
of  the  nerves?  Is  it  an  everlasting  heaving  of  the  bosom? 
Is  it  to  die  forever  ? ” And  yet  I can  never  die.  Oh,  God, 
Help  me  to  make  my  own  election  sure, 

And  when  I fail  on  earth,  secure  • 

A mission  in  the  skies. 

THE  DEATH  OF  THE  SOUL. 

Oh,  thank  God  Almighty,  there  is  no  death  to  a good 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


265 


man.  On  my  first  pastorate  a good  man  died.  .Death 
robbed  him  of  his  strength  day  after  day,  month  after  month, 
and  I walked  into  his  chamber  the  day  before  he  died  and 
I saw  that  death  had  stripped  him  of  almost  every  ounce  of 
his  flesh.  I said  : “ Oh,  literally,  here  is  nothing  left  but 

skin  and  emaciafliljjB  I can  never  forget  how  death 

had  done  its  work  on  him,  and  there  he  was  without  the 
power  to  raise  his  hand  or  move  his  body.  And  one  morn- 
ing death  walked  in  at  the  door  and  struck  him  its  last  fatal 
stab.  And  as  death  walked  up  to  his  bed  he  looked  it  in 
the  face  and  pushed  his  bony  hands  out  before  him.  As  death 
made  a stab  at  his. bosom,  he  bared  it  to  death,  and  as  death 
struck  the  blow  he  said  : u Life  eternal ! Eternal  life,”  and 
swept  out  of  the  body  and  was  gone  forever.  And  I said  : 
“ Blessed  be  God,  that  as  death  did  its  worst  and  struck  its 
last  blow  he  cried  : ‘ Eternal  life,’  right  in  its  face.” 

Blessed  be  God,  I believe  in  eternal  life.  I can  not  live 
with  any  other  thought.  Just  thirty  years  ago  I tip-toed 
into  my  father’s  parlor,  one  morning,  and  they  said,  u Be 
quiet;  mamma’s  dead ! ” I was  not  old  enough  to  under- 
stand if.  I walked  up  to  the  casket  and  looked  down  upon 
mv  mother.  She  looked  paler  and  sadder  than  I had  ever 
seen  her,  and  when  they  removed  the  lid  father  kissed  her, 
and  elder  brother  kissed  her,  and  I kissed  her,  and  I said, 
“ Precious  mamma’s  lips  are  so  cold.”  She  has  been  buried 
in  the  State  of  Alabama  thirty  years,  and  if  I was  to  go 
down  there  to-morrow  and  dig  the  earth  off  of  my  mother’s 
body  and  disinter  her  bones,  I expect  I could  gather  them  all 
up  in  my  hands,  and  as  I would  stand  there  looking  at  my 
mother’s  bones,  would  say,  “ Great  God,  is  this  all  that  is 
left  of  my  precious  mother?”  and  as  I stand  looking  at 
those  bones  my  knees  smite  together,  and  I am  in  despair, 
and  all  at  once  a voice  speaks  audibly  in  my  ear  and  says: 


266 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


This  corruption  shall  be  of  incorruption.  This  mortality  shall  be 
swallowed  up  by  immortality.^ 

And  I look  np  and  say : 

Thanks  be  unto  God  that  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

A GOOD  MAN?S  DE^Ljg 

Death  of  a good  man — what  is  it  ? Wliat  is  it  ? Death  to 
a sinner — what  is  it  ? Here  he  is  now,  bound  hand  and 
foot ; there  he  is,  without  power  to  move,  and  here  comes 
a venomous  reptile  and  approaches  closer  and  closer,  with- 
out power  to  get  out  of  the  way  of  it.  He  looks  at  its  ap- 
proach, and  it  comes  closer  and  begins  to  coil  around  his 
limbs  and  around  his  body,  and  in  the  cold  embraces  of 
the  venomous  reptile  he  shudders,  and  when  the  snake 
makes  its  last  coil  around  his  body  and  draws  back  its  head 
for  the  fatal  bite,  he  looks  down  its  mouth  and  sees  the 
fatal  fangs  of  damnation  and  death.  The  snake  recoils  a 
moment,  and  then  plunges  the  fatal  fangs  into  his  victim, 
and  then  in  the  pangs  of  agony  and  death  he  dies  forever  ! 
But  the  Christian — the  snake  approaches  the  Christian. 
He  does  not  appear  to  be  able  to  get  out  of  its  way,  but 
just  as  it  approaches,  a kind  hand  reaches  down  and  takes 
hold  of  the  head  of  the  snake,  pries  its  mouth  open  and 
takes  out  the  fangs  right  before  the  eyes  of  the  Christian 
and  turns  the  offensive  snake  into  the  inoffensive  snake,  and 
the  snake  coils  itself  around  his  body  and  he  recoils  because 
he  is  in  the  embrace  of  a serpent,  but  when  the  serpent 
draws  back  for  its  last  bite,  the  Christian  laughs  and  says : 
Oh,  death  ! where  is  thy  sting, 

Oh,  grave ! where  is  thy  victory  ? 

And  leaps  out  of  the  body  forever. 

THE  LAST  APPEAL. 

Oh,  brother,  let  us  never  sin ! Oh,  brother,  let  us  en- 


PURSUE  NOT  EVIL. 


267 


deavor  to  begin  a new  life  to-night.  Brother  and  sister,  let 
us  never  die.  Let  us  give  ourselves  to  God  and  begin  eter- 
nal life.  I want  to  say,  in  conclusion,  I sympathize  with 
every  man  that  is  not  a Christian.  Will  every  man  that  is 
not  a Christian  stand  up,  and  by  doing  so  say  : 66 1 want  to 
be  a Christian.” 

. (A  great  many  persons  rose  to  their  feet.) 

Now,  before  we  dismiss  the  congregation  I want  every 
member  of  any  church  to  stand  up  and  say  : u I pledge  my- 
self anew  to  God  for  a better  life.  I am  going  to  do  better. 
I am  going  to  set  a better  example  to  my  children  and  to 
my  city.” 

(Almost  the  whole  congregation  stood.) 

Oh,  brethren!  what  a victory  for  Christ! 

The  meeting  closed  with  the  benediction. 

Quite  a number  of  penitents  stayed  after  the  rest  of  the 
audience  had  left,  and  many  were  encouraged  in  their  re- 
solves to  start  anew  for  the  heavenly  life. 


268 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


IT  PATS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


We  invite  your  attention  to-niglit  to  the  last  clause  of  the 
tenth  verse  of  the  second  chapter  of  the  Gospel  by  St  John. 
Really  the  text  is  this: 

The  wages  of  sin  is  death,  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

But  we  take  this  text  to-night  because  it  is  illustrative  of 
the  principle  we  want  to  discuss : 

But  thou  hast  kept  the  good  wine  until  now. 

I want  to  say  to  you  before  I proceed  that  I feel  less  like 
preaching  to-night  and  more  like  talking.  I feel  like  I 
wanted  to  talk  to  each  man  and  woman  just  as  if  we  were 
sitting  in  our  parlor  or  sitting  in  your  family  room  face  to 
face.  Let  us  talk  about  this,  and  you  talk  back  at  me  with 
your  mind  and  let  us  see  where  we  will  get  to  to-night  in 
this  discussion. 

There  are  two  questions  that  always  come  up  naturally 
and  legitimately,  and,  you  might  say,  inevitably,  between 
employer  and  employe.  There  can  be  no  such  thing  as  a 
contract  for  labor  without  the  asking  and  answering  of  two 
questions.  ' Now,  if  you  seek  to  employ  a man  for  a day  or 
a year  or  an  hour,  the  first  natural  and  inevitable  question 
on  his  part  will  be  : What  kind  of  work  do  you  want  me  to 
do?  And  when  this  question  is  satisfactorily  answered, 
there  is  another  just  as  inevitable  and  natural,  and  that  is  : 
What  will  you  pay  me  for  it  ? We  say  these  two  questions 
are  at  the  very  basis  of  all  contracts  for  labor.  There  can 
be  no  intelligent  agreement  without,  1,  the  question, 
What  kind  of  work  do  you  want  me  to  do  ? and,  2,  What 
will  you  pay  me  for  it  ? 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


269 


WHOSE  SERVANT  AM  I ? 

Now,  there  are  persons  here  to-night  who  may  boast  of 
the  fact : “ I never  was  in  the  employment  of  any  one  ; I 
never  sustained  the  relationship  of  a hired  servant.”  They 
boast  of  the  fact  that  they  live  under  the  freest  government 
the  world  ever  saw,  whose  very  constitution  guarantees  to 
every  man  his  life,  and  his  liberty  and  his  property.  And 
yet  there  is  a very  special  sense  in  which  we  are  all  servants, 
and  there  is  a very  special  sense  in  which  we  are  employed, 
and  there  is  an  awful  sense  in  which  pay-day  is  coming. 

Now,  whose  servant  am  I?  In  a spiritual  sense  every 
man  is  a servant.  He  has  his  master  and  his  employment 
and  pay-day  is  coming  to  him.  Now,  whose  servant  am  I ? 
We  may  settle  that  very  easily  and  in  a very  short  time. 
Our  Savior  said: 

To  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  [servants  to  [obey,  his  [servants  ye  are, 
whether  of  sin  unto  death  or  obedience  unto  righteousness. 

He  said  again : 

No  man  can  serve  two  masters.  Either  he  will  hate  the  one  and  love 
the  other,  or  else  he  will  despise  the  one  and  cling  to  the  other. 

He  said  something  a little  stronger  than  that : 

He  that  gather eth  not  with  me  scattereth  abroad. 

The  dividing  line  is  so  narrow  that  no  man  can  stand  on  that 
line.  I am  either  on  one  side  or  the  other.  There  are  a 
great  many  men  here  to-night,  though,  that  will  tell  you, 
you  go  to  them  with  a question  like  this : 

“ Ai;e  you  a bad  man  ? ” 

“■No,  sir.” 

“ Are  you  a good  man  ? ‘ 

“ No,  sir.”  • 

A MIXED  LOT. 

Neither  good  nor  bad.  There  are  a great  many  of  this 


270 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


sort  in  the  world.  Really,  they  are  in  the  majority.  Well, 
now  let  me  tell  you.  There  are  two  characters  in  every 
community  that  ever  I have  been  in,  that  are  a puzzle  to 
half  the  community.  One  character  is  that  member  of  the 
church  that  will  pray  in  public  and  pray  in  his  family,  and 
do  anything  the  church  wants  him  to  do,  and  pay  liberally, 
but  he  don’t  treat  his  fellow-man  right ; won’t  pay  his  debts ; 
won’t  live  right  toward  his  fellow-man.  He  seems  to  do 
everything  that  God  wants  him  to  do  and  to  do  right 
toward  God,  but  he  don’t  treat  his  neighbor  right.  Well, 
now,  here’s  the  other  one,  standing  right  by  his  side.  He’s 
a just  man  and  pays  his  debts  ; he  is  generous  to  the  poor; 
he  seems  to  be,  all  in  all,  a good  citizen.  Well,  now,  there 
the  two  stand,  and  the  balance  of  the  community,  a large 
proportion  of  the  community,  stand  and  look  at  these  two 
characters,  and  say:  “Well,  I’d  rather  be  that  man  out  of 
the  church,  that’s  just  and  generous  and  pays  his  debts, 
than  to  be  that  man  in  the  church  that  mistreats  his  neigh- 
bors.” Well,  why  do  you  want  to  be  a fool  and  be  like 
either  one?  I don’t  I assure  you,  and  by*the  grace  of  God 
I don’t  intend  to  be  like  either  one.  I am  going  to  do 
right  toward  God,  and  I’m  going  to  do  right  toward  man, 
and  there’s  the  whole  man. 

And  this  is  the  first  and  greatest  of  the  commandments : Thou  shalt 
serve  God  with  all  thy  heart  and  mind  and  strength.  And  the  other  is 
like  unto  it : Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. 

And  no  man  who  is  an  enemy  to  his  neighbor  is  a true 
friend  to  God.  And  no  man  who  is  an  enemy  of  God  can 
be  a true  friend  to  his  neighbor.  A half  man ! A half  man ! 

' He  will  [do  right  toward  his  neighbor.  He  won’t  do  right 
toward  God.  He  will  do  right  toward  God,  but  won’t  do 
right  toward  his  neighbor.  Now,  my  friend,  I say,  in  all 
love  and  kindness,  if  you  are  of  these,  I don’t  want  to  be 
like  you,  I don’t  care  which  character  you  represent;  and, 


IT  PAYS  'JO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


27I 


God  helping  me,  I want  to  do  right  toward  God,  and  I want 
to  do  right  toward  my  fellow-men.  And  after  all,  these 
men,  neither  good  nor  bad,  yon  ask  then:  “Will  you  go 
to  Heaven  if  you  die?”  “No,  sir;  I hardly  think  I will.” 
“Go  to  Hell?”  “No,  sir;  don’t  think  I’ll  go  to  Hell.” 
And  your  sort  will  necessitate  some  sort  of  third  universe  or 
world  in  eternity.  You  are  not  fit  for  Heaven;  you  admit 
it,  and  you  are  hardly  bad  enough  to  go  to  Hell.  And  here 
you  are,  and  you  have  been  to  God  and  to  this  community, 
all  your  life,  in  just  such  an  attitude  as  that. 

NO  NEUTRAL  GROUND. 

Brother,  let  me  say  this  to  you,  you  are  on  one  side  or 
the  other.  I recollect  once  at  a county  camp-meeting  a 
gentleman  approached  me  and  he  said: 

“ I’m  mighty  glad  to  see  this  grand  work  going  on  here. 
I hope  this  whole  community  will  be  saved.” 

“Well,”  says  I,  “thank  you,  brother.  What  church  do 
you  belong  to?” 

He  said : “ I don’t  belong  to  the  church,  but,”  he  says, 

“I’m  a Christian.” 

I said:  “You  a Christian  and  not  belong  to  any  church! 
Why,  you  are  the  man  I’ve  been  looking  for,  too,  these 
many  years.  I’ve  offered  a reward — a large  reward — for 
one  of  your  sort.  Christians  are  sort  of  scarce  in  the 
church,  and  the  Lord  knows  I didn’t  know  there  was  one 
out  of  the  church.  I’m  gone  lost,  now.  (Laughter.)  I’ve 
found  an  anomaly  in  the  moral  universe  of  God — a Christian 
out  of  the  church!”  And  I said  to  him:  “I  am  mighty 
glad  to  meet  you,  sir.  Now,”  said  I,  “this  afternoon  when 
I call  up  the  j enitents,  I want  to  call  on  you  to  pray  for 
them.” 

“Oh,  no!”  he  says,  “I  can’t  pray  in  public.” 


2J2 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Says  I,  “Why?” 

Said  he,  “ Because  Pm  not  a member  of  the  church.” 

“Well,”  said  I,  “when  the  service  is  over  this  afternoon,, 
take  one  of  the  boys — one  of  the  penitent  out  from  the 
altar — and  go  out  into  the  woods  and  pray  with  him.” 

“Oh,  no  !”  he  says,  “I  can’t  do  that.” 

“Why?”  said  I. 

“Because  I am  not  a member  of  the  church,  Mr.  Jones.” 

“Well,”  said  I,  “can’t  you  just  take  one  of  the  boys  by 
the  arm  and.  take  him  off  out  into  the  woods  and  talk  with 
him  about  Christ?” 

“ No ! ” he  said,  “ my  trouble  is,  I’m  not  a member  of  the 
church.” 

“ No , sir,”  said  I,  “ That  ain’t  your  trouble.  Tour  trouble 
is,  you  belong  to  the  devil  from  your  hat  to  your  heels  1 
That’s  your  trouble.”  (Laughter.) 

He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me. 

He  that  gathereth  not  with  me  scattereth  abroad. 

SETTLING  THE  QUESTION. 

There  is  no  neutral  ground,  sir.  Every  Christian  man 
has  his  banner  and  his  weapon,  and  he  is  out  in  the  front 
ranks,  and  he  is  lighting  for  Christ  and  for  his  cause.  Now* 
whose  servant  am  I? 

To  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his  servants  ye  are. 

Well,  now,  let’s  settle  this  question,  each  one  for  himself. 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  said  this: 

It  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments. 

Do  you  do  that? 

No,  sir. 

Lie  said  again: 

Come  out  from  among  them  and  be  ye  separate. 

Have  you  done  that? 

No,  sir. 

Deny  yourself  and  take  up  your  cross  and  follow  me. 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


273 


Have  yon  done  that  ? 

No,  sir. 

Well,  that  settles  the  question  beyond  all  cavil  that  you 
are  not  a servant  of  the  Lord  God,  and  then,  if  you  are  not 
a servant  of  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  there  is  but  one 
alternative  you  have:  You  are  a servant  of  the  devil. 
Every  man  that  walks  this  earth  is  a loving,  willing,  cheer- 
ful servant  of  God,  or  he  is  a servant  of  the  devil — one 
or  the  other. 

Now,  will  you  slip  up  to  your  master,  the  devil,  and  ask 
him  what  kind  of  work  he  wants  you  to  do?  Ah  me!' 
That  seems  like  a foolish  proposition!  What  kind  of  work 
does  the  devil  want  his  servants  to  do?  He  wants  them  to 
profane  the  name  of  God  ; to  violate  the  Sabbath;  to  bear 
false  witness ; to  do  a thousand  tilings  that  wTe  are  guilty  of 
every  day.  He  wants  me  to  do  those  things  that  will  make 
my  wife  think  less  of  me  and  make  my  children  think  less 
of  me  and  make  my  parents  think  less  of  me.  He  wants  me 
to  do  those  things  that  are  disreputable  and  that  dishonor 
God  and  that  will  doom  my  soul  forever.  Isn’t  that  so?  I 
can  prove  it  by  fifty  thousand  smners  in  St.  Louis  that  that 
is  true. 

THE  DEVIL’S  WAGES. 

Then,  if  I must  do  such  disreputable  work  as  this,  and 
must  engage  in  such  disreputable  employment  as  that,  what 
is  the  wages?  Woe  and  misery  and  anguish  on  earth  and 
damnation  in  the  end.  Is  that  $0?  Well,  there  are  thou- 
sands of  sinners  living  and  thousands  in  eternity  to-night 
that  are  living  witnesses  to  the  truth  that  the  devil  would 
ruin  them  upon  earth  and  degrade  them  in  time  and  damn 
them  in  eternity.  Pay-day  is  coming.  It  has  come  to  mill- 
ions. It  is  now  coming  to  thousands.  What’s  the  wages  ? 

18 


274  SAM  JONES'  SERMONS. 

Preaching  once  in  my  own  church  on  a line  of  thought 
like  this,  I turned  to  an  old  gray-headed  sinner  sitting  over 
to  my  left.  Said  I:  “There  you  are,  after  sixty  odd  years 
of  age,  and  I wish  you  would  get  up  and  tell  this  congrega- 
tion your  wages  for  sixty -five  years  of  sinful  bondage.”  The 
old  man  twisted  and  turned  in  his  pew,  and  next  day  he  met 
me  on  the  road  and  said  he : “ Oh,  J ones,  when  you  put 

that  question  to  me  last  night,  if  I had  stood  up  and  told 
the  plain  truth  it  would  have  frightened  many  a soul  last 
night.  I can  tell  you,  sir,  that  for  sixty-hve  years  of  sinful 
bondage,  all  I have  to  show  for  -it  in  the  world  is  the.  most 
godless  family  in  all  this  settlement,  and  a hard  heart,  and  a 
stiff  neck,  and  a rebellious  soul,  and  no  assurance  at  all  that 
I will  ever  be  saved.” 

Oh,  sir,  when  a man  of  sixty-five  years  of  age  reaches  a 
point  where  his  stock  in  trade  is  all  things  like  that,  it  is 
enough  to  frighten  a man  who  has  not  gone  farther  than 
some  of  you  boys.  • 

Then,  if  I be  a servant  of  the  Lord  God — and  thank  God 
he  has  many  servants  in  the  city — the  question  comes  up  : 
What  does  the  Lord  God  want  his  servants  to  do  ? He 
wants  me  to  love  mercy  and  to  do  justly  and  walk 
humbly  before  God.  He  wants  me  to  bear  the  fruits  of 
the  spirit,  which  are  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentle- 
ness, goodness  and  faith.  He  wants  me  to  work  diligently 
and  work  righteousness  and  speak  the  truth  in  my  heart. 
He  wants  me  to  do  those  things  that  will  make  my  wife 
think  more  of  me,  aud  that  will  make  my  neighbor  think 
more  of  me,  and  make  my  children  think  more  of  me. 
He  wants  me  to  do  those  things  that  will  honor  me  in 
time  and  elevate  my  soul  every  day,  and  ultimately  bring 
me  to  the  saint’s  everlasting  rest,  in  a world  of  bliss  and 
peace. 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS, 


275 


A DELIGHTFUL  SERVICE. 


Now,  brother,  if  this  is  true,  the  Lord  wants  us  to  serve 
him  gladly  and  serve  him  joyfully,  and  there  is  nothing 
that  the  Lord  wants  me  to  do  that  I won’t  be  in  doing  it, 
a better  merchant,  a better  farmer,  a better  lawyer,  a 
better  doctor,  a better  mechanic,  a better  everything  and 
anything,  for  religion  is  the  best  thing  on  earth  to  mix 
with  life,  and  there  is  nothing  better  in  Heaven  than 
religion. 

Now,  there  are  some  seemingly  hard  things  we  have  to 
do  for  Christ,  but  I will  honor  him  that  this  declaration  is 
true  as  earth  and  Heaven  ever  listened  to.  Listen  ! I will 
honor  my  Savior  with  this  fact:  I have  done  some  seem 
ingly  hard  things,  but  the  hardest  thing  I ever  did  for  Christ 
was  the  thing  that  made  me  most  like  him  after  I got 
through  with  it.  He  that  sweats  and  toils  and  suffers  for 
Christ  shall  have  flagons  of  joy  and  rivers  of  pleasure  for 
every  tear  and  pang  he  has  ever  had. 

Now,  if  it  is  such  delightful  service  that  I am  to  render 
in  the  employ  of  my  God,  wliat  is  the  pay?  What  is  the 
pay?  Why,  brother,  he  gives  me  enough  cash  to  live  on 
every  day,  and  when  I get  old  and  wrinkled  and  gray- 
headed and  can  not  work  any  longer,  God  comes  down  and 
picks  me  up  in  his  loving  arms  and  carries  me  home  to 
Heaven  to  live  for  ever  and  ever. 


WHY  NOT  SERVE  GOD? 


Is  that  true?  True  as  Heaven.  Then  I stop  and  ask  my- 
self this  question  : If  these  things  are,  and  this  world 
knows  they  are  true,  then  what  ? Why  is  it  that  every 
man  in  the  world  is  not  a servant  of  God  ? Why  is  it  that 
there  is  a servant  of  the  devil  in  the  universe?  If  the 


276 


SAM  JONES5  SERMONS. 


devil  wants  to  employ  me  in  disreputable  service  and  de 
grading  service,  and  it  is  misery  and  anguish  in  time  and 
damnation  in  eternity,  and  God  gives  me  delightful,  joyous 
employment  and  helps  me  to  build  a character  that  will 
stand  the  test  of  judgment,  and  finally  sits  me  down  on  the 
streets  of  the  paradise  of  God  a saved  man — if  one  is  true 
and  the  other  is  true,  why  is  it  that  there  is  a servant  ol 
the  devil  in  all  this  broad  land  ? Now,  let  us  see  why. 

Thou  hast  kept  the  good  wine  until  now. 

This  text  illustrates  a principle  in  this  moral  universe  on 
both  sides  of  the  question.  The  devil’s  economy  is  to  give 
the  best  he  has  got  first  and  then  it  gets  worse  through  all 
eternity.  Now,  to  illustrate — and  I always  could  illustrate 
a thing  faster  and  perhaps  better  than  I could  talk  it. 

THE  PALACE  OF  SIN". 

Now,  when  I was  a ten  or  twelve  years  old  young  boy, 
the  devil  took  me  up  into  a large,  capacious  palace — a mag- 
nificent structure  it  was,  beautiful,  glorious  in  all  its  archi- 
tectural beauty.  He  carried  me  into  the  palace  and  led  me 
around,  and  I looked  upon  and  worshiped  the  pictures 
hanging  around  the  walls,  and  then  I looked  at  the  beautiful 
carpets  on  the  floor  ; I looked  at  those  beautiful  windows, 
with  their  lace  curtains.  I looked  again,  and  there  was  a 
table  of  pleasure,  and  a chair  of  ease,  a sofa  of  contentment, 
and,  oh,  how  many  thousand  things  in  that  palace  charmed 
my  heart.  And  then  he  said  to  me  : “ If  you  will  be  my  ■ 
servant,  all  this  is  yours.”  And  I surveyed  those  pictures, 
and  those  beauties,  and  that  elegant  furniture,  and  that  beau- 
tiful palace,  inside  and  out,  and  I said:  Well,  sir,  I enter 
your  service.  If  all  this  is  mine,  what  do  I care  for  God 
and  Heaven  and  everlasting  life  ? ” and  I took  possession.  I 
remained  in  there,  joyfully,  several  days.  But  I walked  out 
one  day,  and  when  I returned  I saw  my  chair  of  ease  was 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


2 77 


gone,  and,  somehow  or  other,  I never  felt  as  easy  in  there 
afterward  as  I did  before.  I returned  another  day  and  my 
sofa  of  contentment  was  gone,  and,  somehow  or  other, 
I never  felt  contented  in  there  after  that.  I came  back 
another  day  and  my  table  of  pleasure  was  gone,  and  some- 
how or  other,  the  pleasures  had  departed  with  the  table. 

ILLUSIVE  PLEASURES. 

I came  back  another  day  and  one  of  those  beautiful  win- 
dows had  been  removed  and  a solid  wall  placed  in  its  stead, 
and  1 said : “ It  is  not  quite  as  light  in  here  as  it  once  was.55 
I came  back  another  day — a beautiful  picture  was  removed, 
and  how  blank  that  wall  looked  ! Another  day,  and  another 
piece  of  furniture  gone.  Back  another  day,  and  a window 
gone — perceptibly,  darker.  Another  day  and  a door  had 
been  removed,  and  I said  : “ There  are  not  as  many  ways  of 
ingress  and  egress,  now,  as  I once  had.55  And  on  and  on 
and  on,  until  by  and  by  the  last  picture  was  gone,  the  last, 
window  had  been  removed,  and,  oh,  how  dark  and  gloomy 
was  my  home  ! And  again,  and  again,  and  the  carpets  were 
all  taken  up,  and  how  bare  and  cold  that  floor ! And  again, 
and  again,  and  another  door  removed,  until  the  last  door  had 
been  removed,  except  one,  and  the  windows  were  removed 
and  everything  gone,  and,  oh,  how  desolate ! But  fourteen 
years  ago  the  latter  part  of  August  last,  I walked  out  of  that 
palace  to  see  my  father  die,*  and  I promised  him  I5d  never 
go  back  any  more. 

THE  WAGES  OF  SIX  IS  DEATH. 

I know  a man  that  stayed  there  just  a little  longer  than  I 
did — my  friend  he  was.  He  stayed  there  until  the  last  piece 
of  furniture  was  gone,  and  every  window  removed,  and  the 
doors  all  taken  out,  and  he  said : “ I can’t  get  out  of  that 


278 


SAM  JONES5  SERMONS 


large,  capacious  palace.55  The  walls  were  coming  together 
every  day,  every  hour,  and  on  Thursday  night,  about  one 
o’clock,  as  his  wife  stood  by  his  bedside,  the  walls  of  that 
palace  crushed  together,  and  he  admitted  with  his  dying 
breath  that  “the  wages  of  sin  is  death  !55 

My  God  ! how  many  souls  in  St.  Louis  are  encompassed 
in  that  palace  to-night ! How  many  in  there,  with  doors  all 
removed  and  windows  taken  out ! And  they  will  realize 
some  of  these  days,  as  the  walls  crush  together,  that  “ the 
wages  of  sin  is  death.55 

, SIN  PROMISES  BEST  AT  FIRST. 

But  how  on  the  other  side  ? This  is  but  a picture  of  life, 
brethren.  Life  ! Why,  I can  remember  the  first  dram  I 
ever  drank.  It  made  me  feel  manly.  I thought,  “Well, 
surely  I have  found  the  elixir  of  life,  the  grand  panacea  for 
all  sad  feelings.55  But  I drank,  and  drank,  until  I despised 
myself  and  loathed,  and  loathed,  and  loathed  my  very  being, 
because  I was  a miserable  drunkard.  I recollect  the  first 
oath  I ever  swore.  I thought  it  stfunded  manly.  But  I 
cursed  and  swore  until  I was  a black-mouthed  villain,  and  I 
despised  myself  when  I walked  into  the  presence  of  a Chris- 
tian gentleman. 

Oh,  my  congregation,  to-night  1 tell  you  that  sin  has  its 
richest,  sweetest  ingredient  at  the  top  of  the  cup,  but  as  you 
go  down,  and  down  and  down,  the  bitterest  driuk  that  a hu- 
man being  can  swallow  is  the  last  dregs  of  the  sinner’s  life. 
Oh,  how  painful ! Some  of  you  know  that  to  be  true.  The 
devil  offers  and  gives  the  best  first,  and  it  gets  worse  and 
worse  and  worse  through  all  eternity!  And  there  is  not  a 
sinner,  twenty-five  years  old,  in  this  house,  but  what  you 
will  realize  in  eternity  that  you  saw  more  real  pleasure  in  a 
life  of  sin,  up  to  twenty  years  of  age,  than  all  eternity  had 
for  you  after  that  time. 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


279 


A STORY  OF  BYRON. 

When  Lord  Byron,  who  drank  of  every  cnp  that  earth 
could  give  him,  and  who  had  all  the  ministers  of  earth  to 
play  around  him  at  his  bed,  Lord  Byron  w'ith  an  intellectual 
and  a physical  nature  that  oould  dive  down  into  deepest 
depths  and  could  soar  into  the  highest,  and  whose  wings 
when  spread  could  touch  either  pole — and  that  poor  man 
just  before  he  died,  sitting  in  his  gay  company,  was  medita- 
tive and  moody,  and  they  looked  at  him  and  said  : “ Byron, 
what  are  you  thinking  about  so  seriously?  ” “Oh,”  he  said, 
“ I was  sitting  here  counting  up  the  number  of  happy  days 
I had  in  this  world.”  And  they  said : “ How  many  do 

you  make  it  ? ” “ Oh,”  he  said,  “ I can  count  but  eleven, 

and  I was  sitting  here  now  wondering  if  I would  ever  make 
up  the  dozen  in  this  world  of  tears  and  pangs  and  sorrows.” 

Oh,  brother,  he  went  to  depths  you  know  nothing  of,  and 
to  heights  you  will  never  reach.  Let  me  say  to  you  to- 
night, you  are  reaching  -the  point  like  the  great  prominent 
character  in  England  who  was  sitting  thinking  in  his  study, 
and  a friend  said : “ What  are  you  thinking  about  ? ” He 

said  : “ I was  sitting  here  looking  ^t  my  dog  on  the  mat 

and  wishing  in  my  heart  I were  that  dog  lying  there.” 

Oh,  sir,  there  are  depths  to  which  humanity  can  go  that 
we  loathe  ourselves  and  despise  ourselves,  and  yet  these 
things  promise  mighty  nice  in  the  beginning. 

THE  FIRST  CUP  THE  BITTEREST. 

But  how  about  the  other  side  of  the  picture?  The  first 
thing  the  Lord  gives  to  a man  is  the  bitterest  cup  that  he 
ever  swallowed  up  to  that  hour — the  cup  of  conviction— re- 
pentance. Oh,  me ! when  David  took  this  cup  in  his  hand* 
and  drank  it  down  he  said : 

It  is  the  wormwood  and  the  gall. 


28o 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


And  he  said : 

It  makes  my  knees  to  smite  together,  and  the  pains  of  hell  got  hold 
upon  me.  I found  trouble' and  sorrow. 

There  is  no  experience  in  all  the  universe  of  God  like  the 
experience  of  the  soul  in  the  deepest  hour  of  its  spiritual 
anguish.  And  this  cup  that  God  presents — the  cup  of  con- 
viction— to  the  honest  soul,  oh,  how  it  makes  his  knees 
smite  together,  and  what  wormwood  and  gall  it  is ! 

I can  never  forget  the  hours  in  my  life^when  I turned 
this  world  aloose  and  had  no  God  to  take  my  hand.  Oh, 
brother  for  nearly  a week  I was  wading  and  waging 
through  the  deepest  trials.  I had  turned  loose  all  my 
sins,  and  I could  not  find  the  hand  of  God.  I was  reaching 
up,  saying,  “ Father,  take  my  hand  ! take  my  hand  ! 55  And 
on  I went.  I felt  like  the  veriest  orphan  in  all  the  universe 
of  God,  and  miserably  I pressed  my  way  along;  the  most 
miserable  man  in  the  world.  Thank  God  for  those  awful 
hours  ! They  have  been  so  awful  to  me  that  my  footsteps 
shall  never  go  back  over  that  road%  God,  let  me  die  before 
I shall  ever  cross  that  weary  quagmire  again  in  my  human 
experience,  poor  and  wretched  and  miserable ! 

/rHE  GOOD  WINE. 

That  was  the  first  cup.  I drank  it  down.  And  oh,  what 
anguish  and  misery  of  soul.  The  next  cup  God  presented 
to  my  lips  was  the  cup  of  justification,  and  I drank  it  down, 
and  I said,  “Well,  surely  God  has  kept  the  good  wine  until 
now.”  Oh,  none  but  God  can  know  how  glorious  the  sin- 
ner feels  when  he  hears  the  voice  of  God  saying: 

Son,  daughter,  thy  sins,  which  are  many,  are  all  forgiven ! 

That  is  the  second  cup.  And  on,  and  on — I have  had  a 
thousand  I think  sometimes — but  I want  to  tell  you  it  is 
bitter  ! bitter ! bitter  ! And  as  you  swallow  the  cup  down, 
ever  and  anon  as  you  hand  the  cup  back  to  the  hand  of 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


281 


God,  he  tells  you,  “ and  still  there  is  more  to  follow.”  And 
on,  and  on,  and  on ! 

Why,  the  first  cup  God  presented  to  St.  Paul,  he  was 
stricken  down  in  the  road  and  struck  stone  blind.  For  three 
days  and  nights  he  groped  his  way  in  darkness  until  he 
reached  the  house  of  Ananias,  and  when  Ananias  laid  his 
hands  upon  him  and  the  scales  fell  from  his  eyes  and  joy 
came  into  his  soul,  I expect  St.  Paul  thought,  “Well,  God 
has  kept  the  good  wine  until  now.”  And  a few  months 
after  that  St.  Paul  was  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven  and 
poised  himself  over  the  city  of  God  and  looked  down  on 
the  towering  spires  and  jasper  walls  and  pearly  gates  and 
his  ears  were  charmed  writh  the  songs  of  angels  and  the 
music  of  the  redeemed.  I expect  as  he  looked  down  on 
that  city  of  God  that  he  said:  “Well,  verily  God  has  kept 
the  good  wine  until  now.” 

A LAST  CUP. 

But  by  and  by  in  his  lonely  prison  at  Pome  God  present- 
ed another  cup  and  St.  Paul  took  his  pen  again  and  wrote 
to  Timothy: 

The  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand. 

He  just  took  that  great  clod  of  a word  which  we  call 
“ death  ” and  threw  it  on  one  side  and  he  said : 

The  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  I have  fought  the  good  fight,  I 
have  finished  my  course  ; I have  kept  the  faith. 

But  God  stooped  over  the  parapet  of  heaven  and  shook 
his  crown  in  his  face,  and*  Paul  said,  “ I will  wear  that  to- 
morrow. I will  sleep  in  this  old  dungeon  to-night  and  eat 
a cold  breakfast  in  the  morning,  but  I will  take  dinner  in 
Heaven  to-morrow  with  God  and  the  angels.”  And  if  we 
had  St.  Paul  down  here  to-night  to  conclude  this  service, 
and  he  would  just  tell  us  what  good  things  God  has  in  store 
for  us,  we  would  all  leave  here  shouting  the  praises  of  God 


282 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


for  the  glorious  hope  of  an  immortal  life  beyond  the  skies. 
Oh,  brother ! better  and  better  and  better  through  all 
eternity. 

THOUGHTS  OF  HEAVEN-. 

I have  thought  of  a thousand  things  in  reference  to  eternity. 
I have  thought  this  way ; I have  laid  down  and  dreamed  of 
* Heaven,  and  I have  stood  up  and  thought  of  Heaven  and  I 
have  sat  down  and  read  of  Heaven,  and  then  I have  sung  of 
Heaven,  and  on  I go  ; but,  brethren,  all  the  money  I have 
got  in  the  universe  is  in  this  bank,  and  if  it  don’t  break  I am 
a millionaire.  I have  felt  it  many  a time.  All  my  calcula- 
tions and  all  my  interest  is  in  that  direction,  and  if  at  the 
final  day  God  should  say  to  me — 

Depart  ye  cursed  into  everlasting  flames, 

I will  turn  my  back  and  walk  away  from  the  gates  of 
Heaven  the  worst  disappointed  man  that  God  ever  drove 
away  from  his  presence.  * Ho,  sir.  My  calculations  are  all 
that  way.  And  then  after  a while,  if  I do  succeed  and  step 
inside  of  the  pearly  gates  and  turn  around  and  see  God  and 
angels,  and  precious  mother  and  father  and  loved  ones^ 
brethren,  I will  just  bury  my  face  in  my  hands  and  say,, 
“Sure  enough,  beyond  all  doubt  or  cavil,  I am  here,  I am 
here.”  And  blessed  be  God, ’I  just  as  fully  expect  to  realize 
that  I am  in  heaven  as  I realize  to-night  I am  in  St.  Louis; 
in  fact  more  so.  I may  be  mistaken  about  being  in  St. 
Louis,  'it  may  be  somewhere  else ; b%ut  when  I get  to  Heaven, 
there  is  no  place  in  the  world  like  Heaven,  and  I will  know 
I am  there,  sure  enough. 

SAM  JONES  TO  THE  DEVIL. 

When  I was  in  Waco,  Texas,  I was  stricken  down  by 
laborious  work  withnnalarial  typhoid  fever.  I suffered  day 
after  day  and  day  after  day  for  fourteen  long  days.  I saw 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


283 


the  anxious  care  on  the  doctor’s  face,  and  on  my  wife’s  face, 
and  one  day  the  devil,  almost  in  his  visible  presence,  came 
into  my  room,  and,  slipping  up  to  my  bedside,  said  : “ Now 
you  have  worked  yourself  to  death.  Now  you  are  down 
with  typho-malarial  fever.  Your  system  is  reduced,  and 
your  nervous  system  is  exhausted.  You  will  never  rally 
from  your  sickness ; you  have  worked  yourself  to  death.” 
I said  to  His  Majesty:  Now,  you  get  out  of  here  ! You 
get  out  of  here ! If  I had  it  all  to  do*  over  again  I 
would  not  strike  a lick  less.  1 do  not  care  much  whether  I 
go  to  Heaven  about  this  time  next  week.  Do  you  think 
you  can  set  me  back  with  that  sort  of  talk  ? ” Said  I : 
u You  can  get  out!  You  get  out  of  here!  If  I have 
worked  myself  to  death,  glory  be  to  God  1 I have  worked 
myself  to  Heaven,  and  that  is  the  grand  consummation  of 
it  all.”  • 

About  nine  tenths  of  the  reasons  why  I want  to  stay  down 
here  is  not  because  I think  so  grandly  of  this  old  world,  but 
I want  to  stay  here  until  God  gives  me  time  to  eliminate 
from  me  everything  that  ought  to  be  eliminated  before  I go. 
As  soon  as  God  shall  empty  me  of  all  worldliness.,  and  all 
self  and  fill  me  with  his  presence,  I am  ready  to  go  any 
time.  I don’t  want  to  be  forever  what  I am  to-night.  I 
want  to  be  eliminated  of  some  things  and  take  in  some 
other  things  before  I crystalize  forever  and  shall  be  forever 
what  I am. 

A VISION  OF  PEACEFUL  DEATH. 

Better!  Better!  Well,  now  I know  what  a servant  of 
God  will  do  for  other  folks,  and  we  are  all  alike.  I have 
been  watching  some  things  mighty  close  during  the  last  few 
years.  I was  pastor  of  a church  and  in  that  church  there 
was  one  of  the  most  faithful,  godly  women  I ever  saw  in 


284 


SAM  JONES  SERMONS. 


my  life.  Her  Imsband  was  wealthy,  and  she  gave  with  a 
princely  hand  to  the  poor  and  to  every  good  cause,  and  it 
wa?s  joy  to  her  heart  to  do  for  the  Master.  And 
finally  her  time  came  to  pass  out  of  this  world.  I visited 
her  in  her  last  illness.  She  was  dying  of  consumption,  and 
had  spent  several  winters  in  Florida.  She  was  now  dying 
of  consumption,  and  when  I would  go  into  her  room  and 
talk  to  her,  she  would  frequently  say,  “ I dread  to  die,  not 
the  results  of  death,”  she  said,  “ but  the  agonies  of  death.” 
And  I talked  to  her  and  encouraged  her  all  I could.  She 
said,  “ I am  so  frail,  I am  so  weak  I can  scarcely  lift  my 
hands,  and,  oh ! how  can  I grapple  with  physical  death?” 
The  last  time  I visited  her  before  she  died  she  motioned  to 
the  company  present  to  leave  the  room — I suppose  she  did, 
for  they  all  got  up  and  walked  out  at  once  and  left  me  alone 
with  her.  Then  she  said : 

A FORETASTE  OF  HEAVEN. 

“ My  pastor,  I have  some  things  of  importance  to  say  to 
you  that  I never  want  you  to  mention  while  I live,  for  the 
world  makes  light  of  such  things,  and  what  I say  to  you  is 
as  sacred  to  me  as  my  own  soul.”  She  said,  “ You  know  I 
told  you  when  you  were  here  last  that  I was  afraid  of  the 
agonies  of  death  ; not  of  the  beyond.”  “ Yes,  ma’am,”  I re- 
plied. “ Well,”  she  says,  “ I am  not  now.”  “Well,”  said 
I,  “ what  brought  about  the  change  ? ” She  said,  “Yester- 
day I was  lying  in  my  room  there  and  I put  my  handker- 
chief over  my  face  and  I was  thinking  of  Heaven,  and,”  she 
says,  “ all  at  once  a scene  just  as  natural  as  life  presented  itself. 
It  seemed  that  I stood  upon  the  moss-covered  banks  of  a 
beautiful  river,  and  the  noiseless  water  was  rolling  gently 
by.”  And  she  said,  “ All  at  once  a little  boat  ran  its  prow 
out  right  at  my  feet,  and  the  oarsman  invited  me  into  the 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


285 


boat;  I stepped  into  the  little  boat  and  it  moved  off  so  noise- 
lessly, and  we  disembarked  on  the  other  bank  amid  the 
shouts  of  the  angels  and  the  songs  of  the  redeemed,  and,” 
she  said,  “they  carried  me  np  a beautiful  avenue  to  a palace, 
and  we  walked  up  to  the  door  of  the  palace  and  the  door  stood 
ajar.”  She  said,  u They  carried  me  into  the  palace,  and  I 
felt  like  a stranger  in  a strange  place.  They  carried  me  up 
to  the  King  and  introduced  me  to  him,  and  as  soon  as  my 
eyes  fell  upon  him,  I saw  and  recognized  immediately  that 
it  wTas  the  world’s  Redeemer,  my  precious  Savior,  and  I was 
at  home  from  that  time  on.  Now,”  she  said,  “ I am  not 
afraid  to  die.” 

Just  a few  days  afterwards,  as  her  husband  sat  with  her, 
she  called  him  in  a whisper.  He  went  to  her.  She  said  : 
“Husband,  I feel  so  delightfully  strange ; what  do  you  think 
is  the  matter  with  me  ? ” He  felt  her  hand  and  felt  her 
arm  to  her  body,  and  it  was  cold.  “ Oh,  precious  wife,”  he 
said,  “ you  are  dying.”  She  raised  her  arms  and  clasped 
them  around  his  neck,  and  said : “ Oh,  husband,  if  this  is 
death,  what  a glorious  thing  to  die.”  And  she  fell  back 
upon  her  pillow  and  never  breathed  another  breath. 

A JOYOUS  REUNION. 

Just  eleven  days  after  that  I was  walking  along  by  the 
hotel,  and  the  husband  of  this  good  woman  said:  “Mr. 
Jones,  my  little  Annie  is  very  sick.  I wish  you  would  come 
and  see  her.”  She  wras  the  only  child  of  that  man  and  the 
good  sister  that  had  died.  As  I walked  into  the  room,  there 
was  little  Annie,  little  ten-year-old  Annie,  sick  with  diph- 
theria. I walked  in  and  took  her  hand,  and  said : “ Sweet 
darling,  are  you  suffering  much?”  She  said  in  a whisper: 
“Yes,  sir;  a good  deal.”  I said:  “Darling,  do  you  want 
me  to  talk  to  you?  ” And  she  said  : “ Yes,  sir ; if  you  please.” 


286 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


“What  about  ?”  I asked.  She  said:  “I  want  you  to  talk 
to  me  about  Heaven.”  I said:  “Well,  darling,  it  is  a great 
country,  a glorious  place,  where  little  girls  never  suffer,  and 
mamma  is  never  sick,  and  where  all  is  life  and  health  and 
peace.”  And  her  little  eyes  would  fairly  dance  like  dia- 
monds in  her  head  while  I talked.  And  directly  the  doctors 
walked  in,  and  her  father  said:  “Annie,  darling,  the  doctors 
want  to  cauterize,  to  burn  your  throat  again.”  She  looked 
up  so  pleadingly,  and  said:  “Papa,  please,  sir,  don’t  let  them 
burn  my  throat  any  more.  Mamma  has  been  calling  me  all 
the  morning,  and  I want  to  go.”  “Why,”  he  said,  “sweet 
darling,  if  you  go  papa  won’t  have  any  little  girl.  Won’t 
you  stay  with  papa?”  “Well,”  she  said,  “they  may 
burn  my  throat,  but  it  won’t  do  any  good.  I am  going  to 
mamma.”  They  burned  her  throat,  and  she  lay  perfectly 
quiet  a minute  or  two.  Then  she  was  visited  by  some  Sun- 
day-school children,  and  she  turned  and  said:  “Won’t  you 
sing,  ‘ Shall  we  gather  at  the  river?”’  And  she  said:  “I 
have  heard  them  singing  it  over  there,  and  mamma  is  join- 
ing in.”  The  little  children  began  to  sing,  and  just  as  they 
commenced  the  chorus  the  sweet  spirit  of  little  Annie  left 
the  body  with  a placid,  heavenly  smile  on  its  face,  and  went 
home  to  live  with  her  mamma  forever.  dSTo  wonder  the  old 
prophet  said : 

Let  me  live  the  life  of  the  righteous  and  die  a happy  death,  and  may 
my  last  end  be  like  his.  * * * Mark  the  perfect  man  and  behold  the 
upright,  for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace. 

THE  VISION  OF  SATANIC  CAPTURE. 

Peace!  Peace!  Now,  another  incident,  and  then  I will 
(put,  just  to  show  you  the  difference;  a simple  contrast.  I 
want  you  to  see  it.  During  the  last  cruel  war — arid  how 
cruel  it  was  ! — a minister  in  our  State  was  summoned  to  Vir- 
ginia by  a telegram,  which  read: 

Your  brother  is  mortally  wounded.  Hurry  to  the  front. 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


287 


This  minister  hurried  to  the  front  as  fast  as  the  trains 
could  carry  him  to  the  battle-fields  of  Virginia.  When  he 
reached  Virginia  he  found  his  brother  was  wounded  sure 
enough  fatally.  He  was  in  a country  home,  and  he  made 
haste  to  the  place,  and  when  he  walked  into  the  room  where 
his'suffering  brother  was  lying  he  went  up  to  the  bed  and 
took  his  hand.  He  saw  immediately  that  death  was  doing 
its  work,  and  he  said : “ Brother,  I am  so  glad  to  get  here 
before  your  death.  Brother,  I am  so  anxious  about  your 
soul.  You  have  been  a wicked  man  all  your  life  ; I have 
prayed  for  you,  and  talked  with  you  many  a time.  Now, 
brother,  brother,  will  you  right  here  surrender  your  heart 
to  God  ? 55  “ Oh,”  said  the  wounded  man,  “ brother,  do  not 
talk  to  me  about  my  soul.  I have  thrown  away  all  my 
health  and  vigorous  days  and  despised  God  and  religion,  and 
now  I can  do  nothing  with  every  fiber  of  my  body  burning 
and  aching.  Oh,  brother, I can  not  talk  with  you  now  about 
religion.”  The  next  day  the  brother  tried  his  best  to  ap- 
proach him  again,  but  the  wounded  brother  waved  him  off, 
and  said  : u Brother,  I am  tortured  to  death  with  physical 
pain.  Please,  sir,  do  not  trouble  me  now.  I am  unpre- 
pared and  shall  die  unprepared,  but  do  not  torture  me  more 
than  I am  being  tortured.”  He  could  not  approach  him. 

It  was  the  sixth  night  this  preacher  brother  had  sat  by 
his  brother’s  bedside.  Loss  of  sleep  and  exhaustion  and 
anxiety  had  reduced  him  so  much  and  worried  him  so  that 
as  the  wounded  brother  was  lying  quietly  that  night  about 
12  o’clock  he  said  to  himself,  “ I will  lie  down  on  the  cot 
and  rest  for  a few  moments.  I won’t  go  to  sleep.  I see 
brother  is  very  km.”  And  he  said,  u I lay  down  on  the 
cot  and  in  a moment  almost  w7as  sound  asleep.” 

AN  AWFUL  DREAM. 

And  while  asleep  he  dreamt  that  his  brother  died  with  his 


288 


SAM  JONES  SERMONS. 


month  wide  open,  and  jnst  as  soon  as  the  soul  left  the  body 
he  saw  the  devil  come  in  in  bodily  form  and  approach  the 
bed,  and  walk  up  to  his  dead  brother  and  look  down  into  his 
brother’s  mouth  and  he  saw  that  the  soul  was  gone.  And 
he  said : “ I thought  that  when  the  soul  of  my  brother  left 
his  body  it  hid  among  the  piles  of  wood  I had  piled  up  by 
the  fire  to  keep  the  fire  going,  and  the  devil  scented  the  soul, 
and  started  around  to  my  brother’s  hidden  soul,  and  as  the 
devil  approached  that  hiding  place  the  soul  flew  out  of  the 
room,  crying  4 Lost!  Lost!  Lost!  Forever  lost!’  And,”  said 
he,  “ in  the  distance  I heard  the  wail  of  my  brother’s  soul 
as  it  hurried  out  of  the  reach  of  the  devil,  and  in  the  dis- 
tance I could  hear  the  shrieks  and  screams  of  my  brother’s 
soul  as  the  devil  fastened  his  talons  in  it  forever  and  ever. 
And,”  he  said,  “ when  I woke  up  agitated  and  frightened 
the  light  had  gone  out.”  And  said  he,  :c  I jumped  up  and 
lit  the  lamp.  I walked  up  to  the  bed.  There  wxas  my  poor 
brother,  lying  with  his  mouth  wide  open.  And  I believe 
God  shut  my  eyes  in  sleep  to  show  me  the  scene  that  trans- 
pired' in  that  room.” 

THE  LAST  APPEAL. 

God  have  mercy  on  men  who  will  let  the  last  chance  of 
being  saved  pass  away  and  then  go  into  eternity  unprepared. 
Will  you  risk  it?  Will  you  risk  it?  How  many  men  sit- 
ting before  me,  or  anywhere  in  this  church,  to-night,  who 
are  not  religious,  who  are  not  professors  of  religion,  young 
men  who  are  not  religious,  fathers  who  are  not  religious,, 
how^  many  of  you  will  stand  up  before  God  and  man  and 
say,  “ I don’t  want  to  do  without  religion  ; I want  to  be  a 
Christian  here  and  live  with  Christians  here  on  earth  and 
with  them  forever  hereafter”?  How  many  of  you  will 
stand  up  to-night  and  say,  “ God  being  my  judge,  I do  not 


IT  PAYS  TO  BE  RIGHTEOUS. 


289 


want  to  die  a sinner.  I want  to  be  a Christian  ; I want  to 
be  saved  from  sin”?  Have  you  interest  enough  in  your 
soul  to  stand  up  and  say : “ I want  the  prayers  of  all  who 
pray.  I want  to  be  saved  from  my  sins”?  Will  you  stand 
up — every  person  who  wants  to  be  a Christian  and  shun  the 
death  that  never,  never  dies — will  you  stand  up  ? Do  not 
be  ashamed  or  afraid. 

(Quite  a number  of  persons  rose  to  their  feet.) 

That  is  right.  God  sees  you,  and  I tell  you  a man  is  not 
far  from  the  kingdom  of  God  when  he  will  stand  up  and 
say  : “ I want  to  be  a Christian.”  Oh,  my  Lord,  save  these 
people  to-night.  You  can  all  sit  down.  God  help  us  to- 
night to  prepare  for  eternity.  We  have  no  more  time  to 
lose. 

(The  Christians  in  the  audience  then  filed  out,  and  gave 
the  front  seats  to  the  penitents.  Over  one  hundred  re- 
mained for  prayers,  and  over  thirty  expressed  a desire  to 
lead  a Christian  life  and  join  the  church.  The  results  of 
last  night’s  vigorous  work,  added  to  previous  results,  show 
that  |over  one  hundred  whilom  sinners  have  been  led  to 
make  profession  of  Christ  as  their  Savior  and  hope  of  sal- 
vation, of  which  one  hundred  something  like  sixty  have 
made  application  for  membership  in  Centenary  Church.) 

19 


290 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


MEN  PAY  DEARLY  FOR  ETERNAL  DAM- 
NATION. 


We  invite  your  attention  to  a very  familiar  text ; one  that 
you  have  often  heard  quoted  and  perhaps  frequently  heard 
discussed  from  the  pulpit : 

What  shall  it  profit  a man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
soul?  And  what  will  a man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul? 

It  is  strange,  brethren,  that  while  science  and  philosophy 
have  been  busying  themselves  so  much  with  the  doctrines 
and  dogmas  of  Christianity — it  is  astonishing  that  they  have 
never  thought  about  how  much  good  they  would  do  this  world 
if  they  would  just  stop  all  that  and  begin  to  answer  a few 
questions  of  the  New  Testament  Scriptures  to  the  world. 

Oh,  what  a vast  benefit  the  science  and  philosophy  would 
be  to  humanity  if  they  would  just  answer  this  question: 

What  will  it  profit  a man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
soul?  Or,  what  will  a man  give  in  exchange  for  bis  soul? 

Did  you  ever  see  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  any  man  to 
answer  that  question  ? Did  you  ever  see  a philosopher  sit 
down  to  answer  that  other  question  : 

How  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation? 

god’s  quick  response. 

Now  if  you  notice  the  questions  propounded  by  men  to 
God  and  his  disciples  you  will  recollect  how  quickly  they 
were  answered.  Once  a trembling  jailer  ran  out  into  the 
presence  of  Paul  and  Silas  and  he  said  : “ Men  and  breth- 

ren, what  must  I do  to  be  saved  ? ” — the  most  important, 
infinitely  important  question  in  the  universe — and  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye  St.  Paul  spoke  it  out : “ Believe  on  the 

Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.”  You  know 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


291 


when  the  Scribes  and  cunning  Pharisees  and  shrewd  Saddu- 
cees  used  to  approach  Christ  with  the  most  knotty  questions 
in  the  universe,  that  Jesus  never  said:  “ Wait  till  I come 
around  again,”  or  66  Let  me  consult  the  authorities,”  or  “ Let 
me  consult  the  encyclopedia,”  but  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye 
he  always  gave  the  answer  to  the  most  mighty  problems  and 
questions  in  the  universe. 

And  now,  while  God  answers  immediately,  I say  to  you 
that  God  propounds  some  questions  to  us  that  have  been 
emblazoned  upon  the  pages  of  that  book  for  thousands  of 
years,  and  that  we  have  never  attempted  to  answer  : 

What  shall  it  profit  a man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his 
own  soul? 

There  are  two  things  involved  in  this  discussion:  One 
is  the  world;  the  other  is  the  soul. 

A PRETTY  GOOD  WORLD,  AFTER  ALL. 

This  world  is  a multitudinous  affair.  It  is  a grand  old 
world.  There  isn’t  a want  of  any  physical  and  temporal 
nature  that  this  world  does  not  stand  with  outstretched, 
benevolent  hands  and  says  to  me,  “Here’s  what  you  want.” 
If  I want  water,  three  fourths  of  this  world’s  surface  is 
covered  with  water.  If  I want  gold,  the  bowels  of  the 
earth  are  filled  with  gold.  If  I want  books,  the  millions  of 
shelves  laden  all  around  me  bid  me  take  off  and  read.  If  I 
want  friends,  the  1,400,000,000  of  inhabitants  upon  the 
earth  say  each  one  of  them,  “I  will  be  your  friend.”  If  I 
want  bread,  the  heavy  laden  harvest  fields  wave  back  to  me 
a smile  of  plenty,  which  says,  “ Come  and  eat.  Don’t  be 
hungry.”  If  I want  anything,  and  if  I want  everything, 
this  old  world  stands  up,  with  outstretched,  generous  hands, 
and  says,  “ Here’s  what  you  want.”  I have  no  patience 
with  the  idea  that  this  is  a hard  old  world  and  that  it  is  a 


* 292  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

bad  old  world.  I don’t  like  to  have  Christian  people  going 
about  singing 

This  world’s  a howling  wilderness, 

when  you’re  the  dogs  that’s  doing  the  howling  right  straight 
along  on  that  line.  (Laughter.) 

No  howling  wilderness!  This  is  a grand  world.  It  is 
just  such  a world  as  a benevolent,  gracious  father  would 
. give  his  children  to  live  in  for  three  score  years  and  ten.  It 
is  a glorious  world  with  all  of  its  health-giving  and  life-per- 
petuating properties.  This  earth  with  all  its  bountiful 
stores  of  remedies  and  life-giving  eatables  and  life-perpetu- 
ating blessings  is  a grand  old  world.  There  may  be  larger 
worlds  and  grander  worlds  than  this,  but  this  is  a grand  old 
world,  brethren.  What  is  it  you  want  to-day  as  a man,  as 
a mortal  man,  that  this  world  doesn’t  stand  ready  to  supply 
you?  And  one  reason  why  I know  God  has  prepared  a 
grand  immortal  home  for  me  is  the  fact  that  he  has  spread 
out  such  a grand  world  all  around  me  for  me  to  live  in  just 
for  a few  days.  If  this  is  the  tent  and  tabernacle  what  must 
be  the  everlasting  halls  of  God. 

THREE  IMPORTANT  MATTERS. 

I believe  it  was  Talmage  who  used  this  illustration.  He 
said : If  a man  is  going  to  invest  in  property  about  the  first 
thing  that  man  will  do  will  be  to  look  into  the  title.  And, 
he  said,  after  he  has  looked  into  the  question  of  title,  then 
the  next  thing  with  that  man  will  be  the  question  of  insur- 
ance, if  it  is  town  property.  Then,  he  said,  the  next  ques- 
tion will  be,  how  are  others  getting  along  who  have  made 
the  conquest.  I believe  he  said  these  are  about  the  three 
questions  that  come  up. 

Now,  suppose  I go  out  as  a merchant.  I have  spent  my 
days  largely  in  merchandising.  I have  accumulated  a for- 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION.  293 

tune,  and  now  I want  to  retire  to  some  beautiful  country 
seat,  where  I may  live  in  ease.  I go  out  here  a few  miles 
and  look  over  a magnificent  farm,  with  its  mansions,  its  out- 
houses, its  creeks,  its  bottom-lands,  its  table-land,  its  wood- 
lands, its  all.  It  just  suits  me  exactly.  But,  as  a successful 
business  man,  I’m  not  going  to  count  down  one  dollar  for 
that  land  until  I have  come  here  and  examined  the  book  of 
deeds  and  book  of  liens  and  book  of  mortgages,  and  see  if  I 
can  get  a good  title  to  that  land. 

Well  now,  brother,  when  I look  around  this  old  world  I 
see  it  is  just  the  world  for  me,  and  about  the  first  thing  I’m 
going  to  look  into  is:  What  sort  of  title  can  I get  to  it? 
Do  you  knowT  tljat  a man  may  count  down  his  soul  for  this 
world  and  in  fifteen  hours  after  he  has  made  the  trade 
death  will  come  along  with  a writ  of  ejectment  and  say  : 
“Off  these  premises ! Get  off  forever!  And  the  poor  fel- 
low will  pull  out  his  deed,  but  death  is  blind  and  can’t  see 
to  read  it,  and  the  poor  fellow  will  say  : “ I have  counted 

down  my  all  for  this  piece  of  property,”  but  death  can’t 
hear  a word  you  say  ! 

TALL1  LATED  EXPERIENCE. 

And  how  many  men  in  my  own  knowledge  have  I seen 
build  their  nice  houses  and  prepare  for  comfort  and  ease, 
and  in  less  then  twelve  months  after  they  have  entered 
their  new  places  here  is  death  coming  to  the  door  and 
knocking  and  walking  in  and  saying : “ Get  out  of  the 
house  and  go  to  the  cemetery.”  And  maybe  the  fellow 
has  in  his  pay  every  doctor  in  town  almost,  and  he  is  beg- 
ging the  doctors  for  power  against  death  ; but  death  says  : 
“You  needn’t  send  for  the  doctors.  You  needn’t  throw 
away  any  time.  When  I come  for  you  I mean  you  have 
got  to  get  off  these  premises.”  In  my  own  town  I can  call 


294  SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 

to  mind  more  than  half  a dozen  different  men  who,  in  mid- 
dle age,  had  just  built  and  fixed  up  their  homes  elegantly, 
and  in  less  than  twelve  months  from  the  time  they  entered 
their  elegant  homes  they  were  turned  out  of  them  and  car- 
ried to  the  graveyard.  And  I know  mansions  in  St.  Louis 
that  have  had  the  black  crape  tied  on  the  door-knob!  What 
does  it  mean?  . It  means — every  black  crape  and  every 
black  veil  in  this  world  and  every  emblem  of  mourning 
means,  “ You  can’t  get  any  title  to  anything  down  here.” 

“ FOR  SALLY  AND  THE  CHILDREN.” 

Oh,  how  true  that  is!  Now,  I like  to  see  a man  frugal 
and  industrious  and  economical,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing, 
but,  brethren,  frugality  and  industry  isn’t  always  at  the  bot- 
tom of  our  desire  to  get  hold  of  this  world.  There’s  many 
a man  in  this  world  that  has  accumulated  and  accumulated 
and  accumulated,  and  you  walk  up  to  him  and  ask  him : 

“ Are  you  an  old  miser  ? ” 
u No,”  he  says,  “ I’m  no  miser.” 

“ Well,  what  are  you  piling  it  up  this  way  for  ? ” 

“ Well,”  he  says,  “I’ll  tell  you.  I’m  laying  up  for  Sally 
and  the  children.  I’m  determined  that  Sail y and  my  chil- 
dren shall  never  endure  the  hardships  I have  undergone. 
I’m  laying  up  for  Sally  and  the  children.” 

Yes,  and  if  he  could  just  see  Sally  and  the  children  about 
twelve  months  after  he  has  gone  to  the  graveyard — Sally 
with  her  new  teeth  and  the  children  in  their  fine  turnout — 
the  old  fellow  wronld  be  astonished  how  Sally  and  the  chil- 
dren were  getting  along  without  him.  He  would  that. 
(Great  laughter.) 

LAYING  UP  FOR  A GOOD  WIFE. 

Lay  up!  An  old  miser ! Laying  up  everything  and  lay- 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


295 


ing  up  every  where  and  grasping  in  every  direction,  all  to 
lay  up  and  lay  away,  as  he  says,  “ for  Sally  and  the  children.” 
And,  my  brethren,  I love  to  see  a man  frugal,  and  I love  to 
see  him  lay  up,  and  I believe  it  is  every  man’s  bounden 
duty  to  lay  up  for  a good  wife  and  children,  but  when  he 
passes  the  point  where  really,  down  in  his  heart,  he  is 
miserly  and  is  not  caring  for  wife  and  children,  then  after 
he  is  dead  and  gone  his  money  will  curse  his  children,  and 
perhaps  curse  his  wife.  I have  seen  that.  And  I tell  you 
the  honest  truth  as  I stand  here  and  look  upon  this  congrega- 
tion to-night,  if  I had  opportunity  in  this  life — I don’t  know 
that  I ever  would — but  if  I had  opportunity,  I would  lay 
by  a competency  for  my  wife  to  keep  her  from  want — she 
has  given  the  best  years  of  her  life  to  me  and  my  children 
— I would  lay  by  enough  to  make  my  wife  comfortable  in 
all  her  future  age,  but  I wouldn’t  lay  by  a dollar  in  the 
world  for  one  of  my  children.  Do  you  know  why  ? Be- 
cause— listen ! if  my  children  are  any  account,  they  don’t 
need  it,  and  if  they  are  no  account  every  dollar  I give  them 
will  sink  them.  Don’t  you  see  ? 

misers’  money. 

I wish  men  would  begin  to  learn  that  fact.  An  old  miser 
an  old  fellow,  died  in  one  of  the  Southern  cities,  and  after 
he  died  a preacher  told  me  he  went  there  and  stayed  all  night, 
and  they  put  him  up  stairs,  and  he  walked  into  the  garret 
and  saw  a picture  hanging  with  its  face  turned  toward  the 
wall.  He  turned  the  picture  round  and  it  was  the  old  man’s 
picture.  They  had  done  sent  it  off  up  stairs  and  turned  its 
face  to  the  wall ! (Laughter.)  And  that  old  man  just  spent 
his  whole  life  laying  \ip,  as  he  said,  “ for  Sally  and  the  chil- 
dren,” and  look  how  they  treated  the  old  man ! 

Law  me ! Look  how  Cornelius  V anderbilt  was  smirched 


296 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


all  over  in  that  trial  after  his  death  by  his  own  legatees. 
Do  yon  recollect  it?  Now  if  a true,  good,  noble  man  has  laid 
up  for  his  wife,  and  laid  up  for  his  children,  in  harmony  with 
God,  I say  all  right.  But  I say  a miser’s  money  will  curse 
him  after  he  is  dead  and  gone  and  curse  his  children,  and 
perhaps  his  wife,  when  he  is  dead  and  gone.  Some  of  the 
truest,  noblest  citizens  of  St.  Louis  have  laid  up  a compe- 
tency for  their  families,  and  their  families  are  doing  well  to- 
day, and  that  is  the  proof  that  they  laid  it  by  right.  But, 
brother,  whenever  a man  shall  ignore  God  and  the  rights  of 
others  and  accumulate  money  in  every  direction,  and  then 
pile  it  up,  as  he  says,  simply  for  his  family,  that  money  will 
curse  his  family  after  he  is  dead  and  gone.  We  all  know 
that  is  true.  But  if  you  will  act  in  harmony  with  God,  you 
can  lay  up  all  the  money  for  your  family  you  want  to,  and 
it  will  be  a blessing  to  them  after  you  are  dead.  But  mind 
how  you  act  out  of  harmony  with  God  and  grasp  after  this 
world ! 


POOR  SINNERS. 

And  then  I’ll  tell  you  another  thing.  It  ain’t  only  the  rich 
that  run  after  this  world.  There’s  many  a poor  fellow 
running  after  this  world  in  this  life  and  never  gets  any  of 
it.  I’m  sorry  for  that  sort  of  fellow.  There’s  many  a 
fellow  out  here  on  a farm  with  nothing  but  forty  acres  of 
poor  land  and  an  old  stiff-eared  mule  ; stays  right  there  and 
goes  to  Hell  for  love  of  the  world  and  love  of  money ! 
Never  had  the  money,  but  he  loves  it  immensely  and  he 
loves  it  intensely.  I use  this  old  world  and  what  it  has  got 
in  it  just  like  I would  use  a walking-stick — to  help  me  along 
to  where  I am  going,  and  that  is  the  only  use  I have  got  for 
it.  And  anything  that  is  in  my  power  that  I can  make  help 
me  upward  as  a stepping-stone  to  a better  and  higher  life  I 
want  to  use  it. 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


297 


ROUGH  ON  THE  MILLIONAIRES. 

Tliis  old  world.  You  take  A.  T.  Stewart,  the  richest 
money  king  in  America.  Just  a week  before  his  death  it 
would  have  taken  a hundred  business  men  a hundred  days 
to  Imve  told  how  much  A.  T.  Stewart  was  worth.  But  now 
that  he  is  dead,  I want  to  find  out  how  much  he  is  worth, 
and  a little  fellow7  walks  into  his  death  chamber  and  takes  a 
little  tape-line  out  of  his  pocket  and  measures  five  feet  ten 
inches  one  way,  and  eighteen  inches  the  other  way,  and  goes 
out  here  in  the  public  cemetery  and  puts  that  measure  on 
the  ground,  and  there’s  the  sum  total  of  all  A.  T.  Stewart’s 
possessions.  Do  you  call  that  being  rich?  You  just  take 
the  money  princes  of  this  world,  that  spend  their  life  in 
gathering  money  and  ignoring  God,  and  I declare  to  you  to- 
day there  are  not  enough  millionaires  in  Hell  to-night  if 
the  whole  concern  were  to  go  into  co-partnership,  to  buy  a 
drop  of  water  to  cool  their  parched  tongues.  (Sensation.) 
Do  you  call  that  being  rich  ? Do  you  call  that  acting  wisely  ? 
You  say  that  is  for  the  best,  do  you? 

As  using  and  not  abusing. 

That’s  it;  and  I reckon  of  all  the  insufferable  conditions 
that  pandemonium  can  offer  to  an  immortal  soul,  as  the 
poor  fellow  walks  through  the  flames  of  damnation,  is  the 
consciousness:  “I  am  money  damned.  I wmuldhave  got  to 
Heaven  if  it  hadn’t  been  for  filthy  lucre.  The  devil  toled 
me  into  Hell  with  nickels.” 

A POOR  FOLKS’  HEAVEN. 

That’s  an  awful  state  of  things.  Well,  I have  said  fre- 
quently that  if  there  is  any  sort  of  people  in  the  world  I 
want  to  see  get  to  Heaven,  it’s  the  poor-  white  folks  and 
niggers.  (Laughter.)  A poor  fellow7  don’t  have  anything 
in  the  world,  and  then  to  lay  dovm  and  die  and  be  damned 


2gS 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


forever  is  the  most  awful  thought  I ever  had  in  my  life. 
These  fellows,  riding  round,  having  a big  time,  and  ignoring 
God,  and  drinking  line  champagne,  and  playing  cards  every 
night,  and  going  to  the  theater,  they  can  sort  of  afford  to 
be  damned,  but  we  poor  white  folks  can’t.  I tell  you  that. 
But  a man  in  Hell  with  the  consciousness,  “ I never  had 
any  fun  up  yonder,  and  then  eternally  burning  here,”  it’s  a 
pretty  bad  joke  on  him,  it  seems  to  me.  (Laughter.) 

This  old  world,  how  deceptive  it  is ! And  when  you 
count  down  your  soul  for  this  world  you  can  not  get  a 
shadow  of  a title  to  it,  and  a wise  man  won't  do  that. 

THE  MATTER  OF  INSURANCE. 

Well,  then,  you  strike  that  question  of  insurance,  you 
take  a piece  of  property  in  this  town  that  an  insurance  agent 
won’t  put  a policy  on,  how  much  could  you  get  for  it  on  the 
market?  There  is  not  a man  in  the  town  that  would  buy  it. 
Well,  suppose  you  would  take  an  insurance  agent  up  to 
your  house,  and  as  you  walked  up  toward  the  front  gate  the 
flames  were  bursting  out  from  the  cellar  in  your  house,  and  the 
insurance  agent  says:  u Mister,  I can’t  insure  that  property, 
it  is  already  on  fire  down  in  the  basement.  .Don’t  you  see 
the  flames  bursting  out?”  Now,  when  you  are  going  to 
get  an  insurance  on  this  old  world,  the  geologists  tell  us  that 
it  is  already  on  fire  down  in  the  basement,  already  burning 
down  there,  and  the  chimneys  for  the  under  world — Vesu- 
vius and  Hkna.  Y on  see  those  burning  volcanoes  throwing 
out  molten  lava  year  after  year. 

BURNING  WORLDS. 

I tell  you,  geology  tells  us  a great  truth  when  she  tells 
us  that  this  world*  is  on  fire  down  in  the  basement,  and,  God 
Almighty’s  word  for  it,  she  is  going  to  burn  up. 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


299 


Astronomers  have  pointed  their  telescopes  here  and  yon- 
der, and  they  tell  ns  that  within  the  last  few  years 
thirteen  worlds  have  disappeared.  At  first  they  looked  like 
other  worlds,  after  that  they  turned  a deep  red — showing 
they  were  on  fire,  and  then  they  put  on  an  ash  color,  show- 
ing they  w^ere  burned  to  ashes,  and  then  they  disappeared — 
showing  the  very  ashes  were  scattered  abroad.  Me  get  a 
title  to  it  ? I can  not  get  any  insurance  on  it,  and  it  is  likely 
to  be  burned  up  any  minute.  I would  not  be  fool  enough 
to  give  any  money  for  a thing  of  that  sort,  much  less  my 
immortal  soul. 

INCONVENIENT  PROPERTY. 

How  about  this  being  out  in  the  trade?  There  is  another 
thing.  Did  you  ever  talk  with  a fellow  after  he  made 
a trade?  You  go  down  here  to  the  city  of  Atlanta.  On 
Peachtree  street  is  one  of  the  prettiest  lots  in  the  city.  It 
has  never  been  built  on,  and  you  say  to  the  real  estate  agent, 
“ Why  hasn’t  somebody  built  on  this  beautiful  lot?”  He 
will  simply  tell  you,  u Everybody  who  has  had  anything  to  do 
with  this  lot  has  had  trouble  about  it.  They  buy  a lawsuit 
when  they  buy  this  property.  Nobody  wants  it.”  I have 
watched  this  old  world  pretty  close,  and  every  man  who  has 
had  anything  to  do  with  this  old  world  has  got  into  trouble 
about  it. 

Did  you  ever  notice  that  the  most  miserable  man  in  the 
world  to-night  is  the  richest  man  in  the  world  ? I heard  a 
fellow  say  once — he  was  rich,  too— he  said : u I said  when 
I was  young,  all  I wanted  was  $10,000,  but,”  said  he,  “ when 
I got  $10,000,  I wanted  $20,000  twice  as  bad  as  I did  that 
$10,000,  and  when  I got  $20,000,  I wanted  $40,000  four 
times  as  bad  as  I wanted  the  $20,000y  and  when  I got  $40,000 
I wanted  $80,000  eight  times  worse  than  I wanted  the  $40,000. 


300 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


Oh,”  he  said,  “ Jones,  there  is  no  use  in  talking;  it  is  just 
like  drinking  salt  water — the  more  you  drink  of  it  the  more 
you  want  of  it  (laughter),  and  the  less  room  you  have  to 
hold  it  ” — and  there’s  a good  deal  in  that,  too. 

GETTING  MONEY  AND  KEEPING  IT. 

Laying  up.  And  that’s  the  reason  men  say,  “I  can’t  he 
religious;  I am  busy  looking  after  the  world ; I am  busy 
taking  cafe  of  life ; I am  holding  on  to  what  I have  got.” 
Another  old  fellow  told  me — says  he : “ I’ve  spent  my  life 
now  up  to  middle  age  making  money,  and  I don’t  want  to 
make  another  cent,  but,  Jones,”  he  said,  “I’ll  tell  you  the 
honest  truth,  it  is  harder  to  keep  it  after  you  get  it,  than  it 
was  to  make  it  to  start  with.” 

It’s  a pity  for  those  fellows  that  have  got  it  piled  up  and 
try  to  hold  on  to  it,  and  everybody  in  the  country  want 
some  of  it.  (Laughter.)  I’m  sorry  for  them.  Josh  Billings 
says  the  old  miser  that  has  accumulated  his  millions  and 
then  sits  down  with  his  millions  at  last,  without  any  capacity 
of  enjoying  it,  reminds  him  of  a fly  that  has  fallen  into  a 
half-barrel  of  molasses.  There  you’ve  got  the  picture  just 
as  complete  as  Josh  Billings  ever  drew  a picture. 

SAM  JONES’  LEGACY. 

I never  had  much  money — never  will,  I reckon.  I saw 
in  the  papers  some  time  ago  where  a man  had  died  in  North 
Carolina,  and  left  Sam  Jones  a wonderful  legacy — and  all 
that  sort  of  thing.  I was  at  home  at  the  time.  Several  of 
my  friends  run  up  with  the  paper,  and  said : 

“Sam,  did  you  see  this?” 

“Yes.” 

“What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?” 

“I  ain’t  going  to  do  anything.” 

“Well,  I’d  write  on  and  tell  him  where  I am.” 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


301 


Said  I : “No,  sir.  I am  getting  on  right  well  without  a 
legacy,  and  God  knows  what  I’d  wdo  if  I had  one.  I am 
getting  on  so  well  without  one  that  I don’t  want  to  fool 
with  one.”  (Laughter.) 

Don’t  you  see?  I want  you  all  to  have  legacies  and  live 
in  fine  houses,  and  I will  go  around  and  take  dinner  with 
you,  and  let  you  pay  the  taxes  and  servants,  and  I will  en- 
joy the  thing.  Don’t  you  see?  (Laughter.)  That  is  a 
good  idea,  ain’t  it.  ? 

BELIEVES  IN  AGRARIANISM. 

All  things  are  yours — God  said  that — all  things  are  yours, 
life  and  death,  and  Paul  and  Cephas,  and  everything  is 
yours.  I believe  in  the  doctrine,  not  of  communism,  but 
I believe  in  the  doctrine  of  agrarianism.  Everything  is 
mine,  thank  God.  Isay  I have  never  had  much  money — I 
reckon  I never  will — but  I say  this  much:  I have  had 
money,  and  I have  seen  folks  that  did  have  money,  and  I 
think  some  here  know  what  money  will  do,  and  1 say  a man 
is  a fool,  an  immortal  fool,  that  will  sink  his  soul  for 
money. 

A LOTTERY  TALE. 

Right  along  on  this  point,  an  incident  occurred  in  a little 
town  in  Alabama,  where  I was  born,  before  the  war,  in 
Bowery,  a little  town  off  from  the  railroad.  There  were  a 
great  many  wealthy  planters  lived  all  around  it,  and  there 
were  about  eight  or  ten  little  stores  there  and  one  doggery 
saloon,  and  that  was  just  about  the  time  the  lottery  tickets 
came  out  and  were  popular,  and  several  of  those  leading 
men  invested  in  lottery  tickets,  and  this  bar-keeper  invested 
in  one.  The  day  after  the  drawing — there  were  no  wires 
through  the  country  then — they  made  up  apian  and  fixed  it 
elegantly,  and  it  was  all  arranged.  So,  the  morning  after 


302 


SAM  JONES7  SERMONS. 


the  drawing,  one  of  these  wealthy  farmers  drove  up  at 
breakneck  speed  to  the  bar-room,  jumped  out  of  his  buggy, 
and  run  in  and  said  to  the  bar-keeper:  “ I will  give  you 
$15,000  for  your  ticket  in  the  lottery.”  The  bar-keeper 
said,  “ What  did  I get?  What  did  I draw?”  “It  makes 
no  difference,  I’ll  give  you  $15,000  for  your  ticket  in  the 
lottery.77  The  bar-keeper  said  he  would  not  take  it  unless 
he  knew  what  he  drew. 

And  directly  another  drove  up  in  his  buggy  and  jumped 
out  of  the  buggy  and  said  to  the  bar-keeper,  “I  will  give 
you  $25,000  for  your  ticket  in  the  lottery.”  And  the  fel- 
low says,  “What  did  I draw?77  “Well,  I don't  care  what 
it  drew,  but  I will  give  you  $25,000  for  your  ticket,77  but 
the  bar-keeper  would  not  take  the  money.  And  directly 
here  was  another  driving  up,  another  one,  and  they  just 
come  on  and  on  until  they  ran  the  ticket  up  to  $85,000,  and 
he  would  not  take  it. 

THE  bar-keeper’s  HOPES. 

And  they  all  come  out,  and  the  fellow  locked ’his  back 
door  and  locked  his  front  door  and  put  off  for  home  and 
never  came  back  any  more  that  day  at  all. 

And  next  morning  he  walked  up  town  to  the  post  office, 
walked  in  there,  and  the  post  that  morning  brought  the 
news  from  the  lottery,  and  he  saw  what  the  news  was  and 
saw  that  he  had  not  drawn  anything  (laughter),  and  he 
walked  right  back  through  that  crowd,  and  as  he  passed 
through  there  was  a suppressed  titter  of  laughter,  and  he 
walked  on  a step  or  two  and  turned  right  around  and  walked 
back  and  faced  them,  with  a mingled  look  of  resentment  and 
sadness  and  disappointment  and  joy  in  his  face,  and  he 
turned  to  them,  and  said:  “Gentlemen,  hear  me.77  He  said, 
“Before  God,  as  an  honest  man,  I tell  you  I am  glad  I 
didn’t  get  a cent.” 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


3°3 


BETTER  POOR  THAN  RICH. 

Said  lie:  “I  left  my  grocery  yesterday  about  11  o’clock, 
just  as  certain  that  I had  that  capital  prize — I could  not 
have  been  more  certain  if  I had  it  in  my  hand,  and,”  he 
says,  “ I went  home  believing  I had  it,  and,”  he  says,  “ I 
commenced  talking  with  my  wife,  and  we  just  sit  there  all 
day ; and  sit  there  all  night  long  last  night,  and  never  slept 
one  wink,  talking  about  what  we’d  do  with  that  money, 
and,”  he  said,  “as  God  is  my  judge,  the  most  miserable  time 
I ever  spent  in  my  life  was  since  yesterday  morning.  I am 
glad,  before  God,  that  I didn’t  get  that  money — I am.  I 
was  rich  yesterday  and  last  night,  just  as  rich  as  if  I had  it 
in  my  hand,  and  I am  poor  now.  I’d  rather  be  poor  a 
thousand  times  than  rich  *>nce.”  (Laughter.) 

Do  you  get  the  idea?  Now,  that  fellow  tried  that  once 
and  knew  what  he  was  talking  about. 

GIRLS  KEEPING  UP  WITH  THE  FASHION. 

What  is  this  world?  A man  will  die  now  and  leave  his 
daughters  $100,000  apiece,  and  another  man  dies  next  door 
and  he  leaves  his  daughters  not  a cent.  Those  poor  girls 
go  to  sewing  hard  every  day  working  on  a machine,  and 
those  rich  girls  go  keeping  up  with  the  fashion.  Now, 
watch  them  three  years  from  that  time,  and  the  fashionable 
girl  looks  sallow  and  pale  and  bloodless  and  nearly  dead  on 
her  feet,  and  there  is  the  red,  rosy,  healthy  vigorous  girl. 
It  will  kill  a girl  quicker  having  to  keep  up  with  the  fashion 
than  if  she  sews  all  day  for  a living.  (Laughter). 

What  do  you  want  it  for  ? How  many  in  this  world  are 
making  a fatal  mistake  right  at  that  point.  What  do  you 
want  with  it — to  curse  you,  to  curse  your  families? 

UNFORTUNATE  EOYS. 

And  in  my  own  State  I can  go  around  the  horseshoe  bend 


304 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


of  one  of  our  rivers,  in  the  finest  plantations  in  that  State, 
and  I can  take  those  plantations  one  after  another — the  old 
people  died  during  the  war — and  I am  saying  the  truth  to- 
night when  I say  that  nine  out  of  ten  of  their  boys  have 
already  filled  drunkard’s  graves  and  drunkard’s  hells. 
Twenty  thousand  dollars,  a hundred  thousand  dollars,  will 
buy  nine  boys  out  of  ten  a through  ticket  to  Hell,  and  they 
will  invest  in  it  the  first  thing  they  do  and  check  their  bag- 
gage right  through,  and  heaven  and  earth  can  not  stop  them. 
Don’t  you  know  that  is  so?  (Sensation). 

If  my  father,  instead  of  turning  to  me  in  his  dying  hour 
and  bid  me  meet  him  in  Heaven,  had  spent  his  life  accumu- 
lating money  and  turned  over  $25,000  to  me  when  he  died, 
I’d  have  been  in  the  pit  this  moment. 

God  bless  you,  brother,  show  to  your  children  there  is 
something  better  than  money,  and  better  than  this  world, 
and  better  than  all  the  surroundings  ; show  them  there  is  a 
God  and  an  eternity,  and  that  character  is  worth  more  than 
gold. 

What  will  it  profit  a man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world — 

If  you  get  it  all  and  lose  your  soul,  what  are  you  profited  ? 

A COMPARISON  OF  RICHES. 

Well,  whoever  got  the  whole  world?  Whoever  got  one 
millionth  part  of  this  world  ? Some  fellows  think  they  are 
rich  if  they  are  worth  $100,000.  Well,  what  is  $100,000 
compared  to  Vanderbilt’s  fortune?  Or,  if  you  owned 
Vanderbilt’s  fortune,  what  is  that  compared  to  the  city  of 
Hew  York?  And  the  city  of  Hew  York,  if  you  owned  it 
all,  what  is  that  compared  with  America?  And  if  you 
owned  all  America,  wdiat  is  that  compared  with  the  whole 
world  ? And  if  you  owned  the  whole  world  down  here,  I 
expect  if  you  could  put  two  such  worlds  as  this  in  your 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


305 


pocket  and  go  to  the  Dog-star,  and  stay  all  night,  that  you 
wouldn’t  have  enough  to  pay  your  hotel  bill  in  the  morning, 
(Laughter.)  And,  after  all,  what  is  there  in  this  world  that 
takes  away  so  much  of  our  time  and  so  much  of  our  talent 
and  so  i#uch  of  our  energy  ? and  how  foolish  it  is ! 

WANTED  TO  STRAIGHTEN  OUT  HIS  BOY$. 

A father  in  one  of  the  Southern  cities  said  to  me  : “ Oh !” 
said  he,  “two  of  my  boys  are  dissipated,  and,”  said  he,  “my 
money  will  ruin  my  boys  and  I know  it.” 

Said  I : “ You  say  you’ve  got  money  enough  to  ruin 

them  both  ? ” 

“Yes.” 

“ And  you  are  certain  it  will  ruin  them  ? ” 

Said  he  : “ Yes.” 

Said  I : “ I’ll  tell  you  how  to  dodge  that  thing.” 

Said  he : “ How  ? ” 

“Well,”  said  I,  “give  me  this  afternoon  $20,000  apiece 
of  those  two  boys’  money  for  the  orphan  home  out  here, 
and  you  go  home  to-night  and  say  to  Turn  and  Henry,  ‘ I 
have  given  Sam  Jones  $20,000  of  each  of  your  money,  and 
the  very  next  time  you  get  drunk  I am  going  to  give  him 
$40,000  of  each  of  your  money ; and  further  on,  your  third 
drunk  I will  make  him  a deed  for  that  orphans’  home  for 
every  dollar  I have  got.’  “ And,”  said  I,  “you  will  straight- 
en them  boys  straight  out — you  will  that.” 

And  before  my  money  should  damn  my  children,  I say  to 
you  to-night,  I would  give  it  all  to  the  orphan  homes  of  the 
country.  Well,  as  I said,  I told  him  wliat  he  should  do 
with  his  money,  and — well,  strange  to  say,  he  never  gave 
me  a cent.  ( Laughter.)  I am  afraid  he  will  be  in  the  pit 
before  his  boy  is. 

20 


306 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


LEFT  IT  TO  THE  BAR-KEEPERS. 

I saw  the  other  day  where  an  old  fellow — a man — said  to 
another — 

“ Did  you  hear  about  Mr.  So-and-So  being  dead  ? 55 
“ Yes.55 

“ He  is  a millionaire,  and,”  he  said,  “ he  willed  the  last 
dollar  in  the  world  he  had  to  the  bar-keepers.55 
“ He  did  ! 55 

“ Yes!  Well,55  he  said,  “he  didn’t  will  it  directly  to  them 
he  just  willed  it  indirectly  to  them — he  just  gave  it  to  his 
boys  and  the  bar-keepers  will  get  it  sure.55  (Laughter.) 

This  world,  this  world,  this  world.  Oh,  brethren,  this 
world,  with  all  that  it  has,  can  be  nothing  to  me  but  a step- 
ping stone  to  a higher  and  a better  life. 

THE  MORAL  HEALTHINESS  OF  POVERTY. 

You  can  go  down  among  the  rich  bottoms  of  the  Mis- 
souri and  Mississippi  rivers  and  there  you  find  the  most  im- 
pure water,  and  you  find  the  most  mal  arious  atmosphere  in 
the  rich  bottoms  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  rivers. 
You  can  go  up  among  the  old  red  hills  of  Georgia,  and  the 
clearest  sparkling  water  you  ever  saw  gurgles  up  through 
the  old  red  clay,  and  the  sweetest  atmosphere  blows  over  the 
old  red  hills  of  Georgia.  Among  the  rich  of  this  earth  is  the 
most  corruption,  and  the  most  wickedness,  and  the  most 
guilt.  Among  the  poor  of  the  earth  you  will  find  the  sweet- 
est virtues  and  the  noblest  characters.  Let  us  live  among 
the  poor.  Let  us  have  a good  atmosphere  and  good 
water. 

And  I will  tell  you,  brother,  that  when  a man  gets  drunk 
on  money  he  is  gone.  You  preachers  are  not  candid  with 
him.  You  do  not  tackle  him  as  you  should.  When  an  old 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


307 


fellow  gets  drunk  with  whisky,  his  friends  go  to  him  and 
my : “ Look  here,  old  fellow,  you  are  going  to  the  devil. 
I want  you  to  quit  and  keep  straight.”  His  wife  pleads  with 
him.  The*  minister  pleads  with  him.  Everybody  pleads 
with  him.  But  when  a fellow  gets  drunk  with  money,  bless 
you,  his  wife  does  not  say  anything  about  it.  She  enjoys 
the  “ creetur  ” herself;  she  does  not  say,  “ Husband,  you  are 
going  to  perdition.”  The  preacher  does  not  tackle  him ; he 
is  afraid  to.  There’s  many  a man  in  this  town  drunk  with 
money.  Have  you  brethren  been  up  to  tell  him  “ You  are 
drunk  with  money  and  the  devil  will  get  you  ” ? You  never 
tackle  them.  You  just  say,  “I  want  the  favor  of  these  old 
rich  fellows,  because  I know  if  I bother  them  they  will  get 
mad  with  me,  and  neutralize  my  action  and  neutralize  my 
power,  and  I can  not  do  anything,”  and  they  think  : “ The 
best  thing  to  do  is  to  let  the  old  fellow  alone.  I don’t  want 
to  antagonize  him,  but  just  make  him  pay  his  way  along.” 
( Laughter.) 

THE  PRICE  OF  DAMNATION". 

Oh,  sir,  when  a man  gets  drunk  on  money,  nobody  bothers 
him  then.  He  just  goes  on  and  on,  and  to  perdition  he  goes 
forever. 

What  will  it  profit  a man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  soul  ? 

But  we  will  make  this  discussion  a little  more  practical 
and  bring  it  down  to  where  we  have  a practical  interest  in  it 
in  every  sense.  I want  to  say  to  you  right  now,  I do  not 
know  what  it  is  keeps  you  from  being  a Christian — you 
men  sitting  there.  I can  not  tell  what  it  is  keeps  you 
out  of  the  church  and  away  from  God,  but  I will  say  that 
whatever  it  is,  whether  it  is  a dance,  or  a dram,  or  licentious- 
ness, I do  not  care  what  it  is  that  keeps  you  away  from 
Christ  and  out  of  the  church,  you  can  put  all  those  things 


3°8 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


together  in  one  common  pile,  and  point  to  the  pile  and  say: 
“ That  is  the  price  of  my  immortality.  That  is  the  price  I 
have  sold  it  for.” 

Thatyonng  man  says  : “ I would  join  the  church,  hut  I 

love  to  dance.”  That  young  lady  says.  “ I would  join  the 
church  hut  Hove  to  dance.”  Well,  young  lady,  go  on.  We 
will  say  that  you  go  to  two  hundred  balls — that  is  a big 
allowance,  ain’t  it  ? — and  that  you  dance  hundreds  of  sets. 
By  and  by  you  die  without  God  and  without  hope,  and  down 
into  the  flames  of  despair  you  go  forever  ; and  as  you  walk 
the  sulphurous  streets  of  damnation  you  can  tell  them : u 1 
am  in  Hell  forever,  it  is  true,  but  I danced  four  hundred 
times,  I did.”  (Laughter.)  How,  won’t  that  be  a consola- 
tion ? 

That  man  out  there  says:  u I want  to  join  the  churchy 
but  preachers  think  a man  ought  not  to  take  a dram  and 
be  a member  of  the  church.”  Supposing,  brother,  that  you 
roll  out  forty  barrels  of  the  best  Robinson  County  in  the 
United  States  and  drink  it  every  drop,  and  then  die  and  go 
to  perdition.  You  can  tell  them  in  Hell,  “I  am  in  Hell 
forever,  it  is  true,  but  I drank  forty  barrels  of  the  best 
Bobinson  County  before  I got  here.”  That  will  be  a con- 
solation, won’t  it  ? That’s  remuneration,  ain’t  it  ? 

don’t  get  wives  from  ball-rooms. 

What  do  you  want  to  dance  for,  young  lady,  wdiat  use 
is  it  to  you?  If  I had  to  marry  a dozen  times — and  I am' 
like  the  Irishman  who  said  he  hoped  he  would  not  live 
long  enough  to  see  his  wife  married  again — if  I had  to 
marry  a dozen  times,  I would  never  go  to  a ball-room  to 
get  my  wife.  Do  you  hear  that  ? I used  to  dance  with  the 
girls,  but  when  I wanted  to  marry  I did  not  go  to  the  ball- 
room to  get  my  wife.  Many  a fellow  got  a good  one  in  the 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


309 


ball-room,  and  many  a fellow  didn’t.  (Laughter.)  God 
gives  a man  a good  wife  and  somebody  else  gives  him  a 
bad  one.  (Renewed  laughter.) 

What  good  does  it  do  you  to  be  able  to  dance  ? Take  the 
best  girl  in  this  town  after  her  family  is  reduced  to  a fear- 
ful crisis  by  her  father’s  business  reverses.  Now  they  are 
poor  and  that  girl  must  earn  a living.  I will  introduce  her 
to  a dozen  of  the  leading  citizens  of  the  town,  and  give  her  a 
worthy  recommendation  in  every  respect.  She  is  just  what 
everybody  would  want  as  a music  teacher,  as  a clerk  or  in 
any  other  capacity,  but  I will  add  as  a postscript  to  the 
recommendation,  “she  is  a first-class  dancer,”  and  that 
will  knock  her  out  of  every  job  she  applies  for  in  this 
world.  And  so  with  every  sin.  And  I declare  to  you  to- 
night that  the  thing  that  keeps  us  away  from  God  and  out 
of  the  church,  that  is  the  price  we  put  on  our  soul. 

(\a  WISE  SALOON-KEEPER. 

^ There  is  a man.  He  says : “ I would  be  religious  if  it 
were  not  for  so  and  so,”  and  I never  think  of  this,  that  I do 
not  think  of  an  incident  in  which  a husband  sat  by  his  wife 
at  a revival  meeting.  When  the  penitents  were  asked  to 
nome  to  the  altar,  he  was  asked  by  his  wife  : “ Come,  won’t 
you  give  yourself  to  God  ? ” He  shook  his  head  and  went 
home. 

That  night  she  said  to  her  husband:  “I  saw  you  were  af- 
fected. I wish  you  had  given  your  heart  to  God  ! ” 

He  said : “ Wife,  I can  not  be  a Christian  in  the  business 
I am  in.” 

She  said : “ I know  that.” 

He  was  a liquor  dealer. 

And  she  added  : “ Husband,  I want  you  to  give  up  your 
business  and  give  your  heart  to  God.” 


3io 


SAM  JONES’  SERMONS. 


He  said  : “ Wife,  I can  not  afford  it.55 

“Well,”  she  said,  “how  much  do  you  clear  every  year 
on  whisky  ? ” 

“Well,55  he  said,  “my  net  profits  are  about  $2,000  a 
year.55 

She  asked : “ Husband,  how  long  do  you  reckon  you  will 
live  to  run  that  business?55 

“ Twenty  years,  in  the  natural  expectation  of  things.55 

“ How  much  is  twice  $20,000  ? 55 

“Forty  thousand  dollars.55 

“ Forty  thousand  dollars ! How,  husband,  if  you  could 
get  $40,000  in  a lump  would  you  sell  your  soul  to  hell  for 
that  sum  ?55 

He  said:  “Ho,  wife!  no!  I511  close  out  mv  business  in 
the  morning  and  I will  give  my  heart  to  God  right  now. 
I would  not  sell  my  soul  for  $4,000,000,000. 

AN  EARNEST  REDEMPTION. 

Oh,  that  you  all  could  see  what  keeps  you  out  of  the 
church  and  from  God.  That  is  the  price  you  have  placed 
on  your  immortal  soul. 

How,  a word  in  conclusion.  The  soul — that  is  the  other 
thing.  There  is  the  world  and  here  is  the  soul.  How 
what?  My  soul,  with  its  immortal  interest;  my  soul,  that 
shall  live  forever ; my  soul,  that  will  shake  off  this  body  by 
and  by,  and  lay  it  aside  as  a child  does  its  doll  after  it  has 
done  playing  with  it;  my  soul,  that  shall  throw  this  body 
down  and  fly  away  from  it ; shall  I give  my  immortal  soul 
for  this  world?  Ho,  sir,  I can  not  do  that.  What  then?  I 
will  give  my  soul  to  Christ.  He  is  worthy  of  it;  he  died 
to  save  it. 

Yonder  is  a parliament.  Adam  has  just  fallen  and  sub- 
jected the  whole  race  to  death,  and  now  the  reverberating 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


3” 


thunders  of  God’s  wrath  are  heard  athwart  the  whole  moral 
universe,  and  the  announcement  is  made  in  that  parliament, 
“Adam— Man  has  fallen.  The  great  federal  head  of  the 
race  has  sinned  and  fallen;”  and  a*voice  from  the  great  I 
Am  spoke  out,  “Who  will  take  man’s  redemption  on  his 
shoulders  and  bring  him  back  to  life?”  I imagine  the 
archangel  stands  up  in  that  presence  and  shakes  his  snowy 
wings,  and  says : “ This  task  is  too  great  for  me.”  I im- 

agine Gabriel  might  stand  up  and  say,  “ I shall  blow  the 
trumpet  that  will  wake  the  dead,  but  this  task  is  too  great 
for  me.”  But  all  at  once  there  was  one  who  stood  up  in 
that  presence  and  said : “ I will  take  man’s  redemption  on 

my  shoulders.”  And  the  angels  began  to  wonder,  and  it 
has  been  the  cause  of  increasing  wonder  ever  since  that  he 
should  become  the  Redeemer;  that  he  should  become  man 
that  he  might  redeem  the  race  and  be  our  Savior. 


SAVING  THE  SHIP. 

Brother,  you  saw  some  years  ago  that  a ship  in  the  At- 
lantic ocean  sprung  a leak  away  down  in  the  bottom  of  her 
hull.  The  announcement  that  the  ship  has  sprung  a leak  is 
made  by  the  captain,  and  the  pumps  are  got  to  work,  but 
they' will  not  pump  out  the  water  as  fast  as  it  enters  by  the 
leak.  The  only  hope  for  the  safety  of  the  vessel  is  that 
some  one  will  give  his  life  in  order  to  stop  the  leak.  Y ol- 
unteers  were  asked  for,  and  one  man  spoke  up,  “ I will  go 
down  and  stop  the  leak.”  He  went  down  and  down — to 
the  upper,  then  the  lower,  and  then  the  third  deck,  and 
then  he  reached  down  into  the  water  and  worked  there 
until  completely  exhausted.  The  pumps  began  to  w^ork, 
and  by  and  by  the  old  ship  grew  lighter,  and  by  and  by  the 
captain  said : “ The  leak  is  stopped,  but  let  us  go  down  and 

see  about  our  iriend.”  They  went  down  to  the  third  deck 


312 


SAM  JONES'  SERMONS. 


and  saw  liis  body  floating  on  the  water.  They  brought 
him  np  and  embalmed  his  body,  and  when  land  was  reached 
they  carried  it  ashore  and  buried  it.  And  the  spot  was 
marked  by  a tombstone  on  which  was  the  epitaph: 

This  friend  gave  his  life  that  all  of  ns  might  live. 

And  the  names  of  those  he  saved  were  all  engraved  below. 
And  they  bless  the  memory  of  that  man  and  say;  “If  he 
had  not  died  we  should  have  been  lost.55 

A RESCUED  WORLD. 

And  yonder  is  the  old  ship  Humanity,  and  now  the  waves 
of  God’s  wrath  and  judgment  begin  to  pitch  and  toss  her 
and  drive  her  on  the  rocks,  and  she  is  about  to  go  down 
forever,  when  the  Son  of  God  sees  her ; and  I see  him  come 
from  the  shining  shores  of  Heaven,  as  swift  as  the  morning 
light,  and  throw  his  arms  around  this  old,  sinking  ship. 
She  carries  him  under  three  days  and  nights,  and  he  brings 
her  to  the  surface  on  the  third  morning ; and  then  God 
grasps  the  stylus  and  signs  the,  magna  charta  of  man’s  sal- 
vation, and  then  at  thev blessed  moment  it  is  written: 

Whosoever  believeth  in  the  Son  of  God  shall  not  perish,  but  have  ever- 
lasting life. 

I will  give  my  life  to  Christ ; he  gave  his  life  for  me, 
and  he  is  worthy  of  it. 

SOLD  ON  THE  RUN. 

Down  South  before  the  war  we  used  to  put  a nigger  on 
the  block  and  sell  him  to  the  highest  bidder.  Sometimes 
he  would  run  away  and  we  could  not  get  him  on  the  block, 
but  we  woulcLsell  him  on  the  run.  “ How  much  for  him 
running  away  ? ” W ell,  brother,  when  God  Almighty  turned 
this  world  over  to  Jesus  Christ  he  turned  it  over  on  the  run, 
running  away  from  God,  running  away  to  Hell  and  death, 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  came  as  swift  as  the  morning  light 


ETERNAL  DAMNATION. 


313 


and  overtook  this  old  world  in  her  wayward  flight,  threw 
his  arms  around  her  and  said : “ Stop,  stop,  let  us  go  back  to 
God.  Let  us  go  back.” 

Oh,  Jesus  Christ,  help  every  man  here  to  say,  “I  will  go 
back.  I have  strayed  long  enough.  I will  go  back  now.” 
"Will  you,  brother?  God  help  every  man  to  say,  “This 
night  I have  taken  my  last  step  in  the  wrong  direction,  and 
have  turned  round.”  That  is  just  what  God  wants  sinners 
to  do — to  turn  round — to  turn  round.  Will  you  to-night 
say,  “ God  being  my  helper,  I will  stop.  I will  turn  my  at- 
tention to  Heavenly  things  and  eternal  things.  I will  look 
after  my  soul,  if  I starve  to  death.”  Will  you  do  that? 

THE  LAST  APPEAL. 

How  we  are  going  to  dismiss  this  congregation,  and  those 
who  wish  to  retire  can  do  so,  but  I hope  those  who  are  not 
Christians  will  remain,  and  if  you  are  a Christian  and  want 
to  help  us,  remain  with  us.  Let  us  make  this  Friday  night 
a night  of  preparation  for  a higher  and  a better  life.  Let  one 
hundred  of  us  say : “ I want  to  prepare  to  enter  the  church 

on  Sunday  morning.”  If  there  is  any  man  interested  in  his 
soul  let  him  stay  and  talk  and  pray  with  us  to-night. 


■v  1 • ' /” 


, 


\ • . - n . >:  .v 


THE  AUDIPHONE, 


GOOD’  NEWS  FOR  THE  DEAF. 


An  Instrument  that  Enablas  Deaf  Persons  to  Hear  Ordinary  Con- 
versation Readily  Through  the  Medium  of  the  Teeth,  and 
those  Born  Deaf  and  Dumb  to  Hear  and  Xjearn 
to  Speak.  How  it  is  Done,  Etc. 

The  Audiphone  is  a new  instrument  made  of  a peculiar 
composition,  possessing  the  .property  of  gathering  the  faint- 
est sounds  (somewhat  similar  to  a telephone  diaphragm), 
and  conveying  them  to  the  auditory  nerve,  through  the 
medium  of  the  teeth.  The  external  ear  has  nothing  what - 
< ever  to  do  in  hearing  with  this  wonderful  instrument . 

It  is  made  in  the  shape  of  a fan,  and  can  be  used  as  such, 
if  desired. 

When  adjusted  for  hearing,  it  is  in  suitable  tension  and 
the  upper  edge  is  pressed  slightly  against  one  or  more  of 
the  upper  teeth. 

Ordinary  conversation  can  be  heard  with  ease.  In  most 
cases  deafness  is  not  detected. 

The  Audiphone  is  Patented  throughout  the  civilized  world. 

I?  R I O E : 


Conversational,  small  $6.00 

Conversational,  large  $0.00 


The  Audiphone  will  be  sent  to  any  address,  on  receipt  of  price,  by 

RHODES  & McCLURE, 

Agents  for  the  World, 

152  DEARBORN  STREET, 


CHICAGO,  ILL . 


Popular  Publications 

OF  THE 

Rhodes  <6  McClure  Pub.  Co, 

CHICAGO,  ILLS. 


Poetio  Pearls,  Bevel  Edge,  400  pages,  - - $1.00 

Gems  of  Poetry,  Bevel  Edge,  400  pages,  - • 1.50 

Edison  and  His  Inventions,  178  pages,  - - 1.00 

Abe  Lincoln  Stories,  Bevel  Edge,  246  pages,  - 1.00 

Abe  Lincoln  Stories,  in  German,  Bevel  Edge,  - 1.00 

Moody’s  Child  Stories,  Bevel  Edge,  150  pages,  1.00 
Moody’s  Anecdotes  and  Illustrations,  Bevel  Edge, 

200  pages, - -1.00 

Wit,  Wisdom  and  Eloquence  of  R.  G.  Ingersoll, 

Bevel  Edge,  pages,  - - - - - 1.00 

Great  Speeches,  Complete,  of  R.  G.  Ingersoll, 

Bevel  Edge,  340  pages,  - - - - - 1.50 

Mistakes  of  Ingersoll,  Replies  ry  the  Clergy, 
and  Ingersoll’s  Answers,  Complete,  Bevel 
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All  the  above  books  are  bound  in  cloth  and  gold,  and 
elegantly  illustrated. 

The  above  books  are  for  sale  on  this  train,  or  will  be 
sent  by  mail,  post  paid,  on  receipt  of  price. 

RHODES  & McCLURE,  Publishers, 

CHICAGO,  ILLS. 


ft 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


3 0112  055365636 


